[AT] Rock Falls, IL

Sat Dec 24 10:44:36 PST 2016

Mabry's mill is well preserved. Large parking lots, a major road crosses 
the parkway right by the mill sight. If I remember correct there is a 
sawmill inside the mill--although it is small. Several outbuildings on 
the property, don't know how many are original or reconstructions. I 
don't know if they actually run the mill. The one in Durham is ran on 
weekends, but they are using a "modern" Meadows mill (probably 75 years 
old). Pretty certain the water wheel is the power source. Regarding 
Meadows mills, they are still in business and I think even offer 
resharpening service for the old stone mills. Meadows is not too far 
from Spencer.

John Hall

On 12/24/2016 11:55 AM, Herb Metz wrote:
> Mabry's Mill, a very picturesque setting, had decades of history before
> becoming a grist mill in 1905.  Barbara and I toured the Blue Ridge Parkway,
> a belated honeymoon, in fall of 1955; just before my Navy tour of duty
> ended.  This was one of our many stops.  Sure hope the preservationists are
> successful in maintaining this historical facility.  Herb(GA)
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: John Hall
> Sent: Thursday, December 22, 2016 8:15 PM
> To: Antique tractor email discussion group
> Subject: Re: [AT] Rock Falls, IL
>
> Certainly the biggest water wheel I have ever seen.
>
>     I have been to 4 water powered grist mills that I know of:
> Eno park, Durham, NC--- open to public
> Mabry's mill in VA-- open to public
> Somehere in Sanford NC there was/is a mill at a site that used to host
> an antique farm show
> I think north of Cherokee, NC, maybe in the edge of TN I went to
> another, it may have been in Va--it was a few years back.
>
> There was one or two mills that were abandoned less than 5 miles from
> here that got destroyed in hurricane Fran back in 1996.
> Another was about 3 miles down the road. It had been moved about a mile
> from the river where it's last days it was powered by an engine--still
> had the lineshaft upstairs when it was burnt down. There used to be way
> more corn meal made in NC than actually went in a frying pan.
>
> John Hall
>
>
> On 12/21/2016 10:22 PM, k6mw wrote:
>> Grant-
>>
>> The Bale grist mill is a tremendous 36' water wheel driven mill in your
>> neck of the woods. Located in just up the road from you in St. Helena,
>> it's well worth the time to visit and see the tour.
>>
>> https://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=482
>>
>> mike
>>
>>
>> On 12/21/2016 5:17 PM, Grant Brians wrote:
>>> The loss of local mills and elevators and other agricultural
>>> infrastructure is a real loss. I hope that we can help that loss not
>>> occur as a force for recognition of the value of the history of our
>>> country (whichever country each list member is in whether the USA or
>>> Canada or Australia or Uruguay or).... Here in California most of the
>>> state would not have had a mill that was water operated as our
>>> eco-system is not set up for that. But there are/were other power
>>> sources. I bought a corn sheller a couple of years ago for our popcorn
>>> that we grow - old enough that it was hand powered! Actually, the seed
>>> cleaner is currently hand powered too - 1911 vintage Clipper.
>>>                    Grant Brians - Hollister,California farmer of
>>> vegetables, edible flowers, herbs, nuts and fruit
>>>
>>> On 12/21/2016 2:55 PM, charlie hill wrote:
>>>> David there is an old grist mill on an actual mill pond
>>>> near here in the town of Trenton.  Al Jones is well familiar with it.
>>>> A couple of years ago they started fixing it back up after the state
>>>> repaired the dam when a hurricane washed it partly out.  The mill stones
>>>> are installed now and they are running it with electric motors, just a
>>>> few
>>>> days
>>>> a year for special occasions.  I think they are working on repairing the
>>>> water
>>>> wheel from what I can see in passing by but I'm not sure.  I hope they
>>>> are.
>>>> I know we were talking about feed mills not grist mills but I wanted to
>>>> pass
>>>> that along.
>>>>
>>>> Here’s a link to it with a picture and some information.  I didn't read
>>>> the
>>>> page just sending the
>>>> link along.  I don't know if it's current info or not.
>>>>
>>>> http://www.learnnc.org/lp/multimedia/9448
>>>>
>>>> It's a beautiful place.  The mill pond has cypress trees growing in it
>>>> around the edges opposite the mill.
>>>>
>>>> Charlie
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