Currently the mills have no longer had their original use and several were being adapted as housing. The “Mó da Praia” was one of the last mills to grind grain on the Island, until the death of Mr. Manuel Frutuoso Vasconcelos Moniz (his former owner), on February 18, 2002.

The name given to the mill (“Mó da Praia”) refers to an artifact indispensable to the activity of the miller and also to its privileged location, next to the only fine sand beach of Graciosa Island, in the village of “São Mateus (Praia)” , located at the foot of Caldeira da Graciosa.