In this era of high tech electronics, many often say they’d like to go back to the simple life. Others, my friend A included, admit “Not me. Life was tough back then.”

Consider the simple water wheel and how it shaped history. The water wheel on display at the Shattuck Windmill Museum & Park in Oklahoma provided electricity for a family. Others of older designs were used to grind grains or channel water where it was needed.
One such water wheel provided power for the Bale Grist Mill in the Calistoga/St. Helena area of the Napa Valley. I believe it is still part of the California State Parks system. (I was fortunate to tour it with an elementary school class as we learned how the mill ground corn and other grains for people and for livestock food.)
What older style devices helped your family live the simple life?