Blue Ridge Country May/June 2022 - 65

PHOTO BY MEGAN GILLESPIE
PHOTO BY MEGAN GILLESPIE
nology in the day. Caretakers still grind
grains from spring through fall; and flour,
cornmeal and other items are available for
purchase.
nps.gov/grsm/planyourvisit/mfm.htm
CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: At Tennessee's Valentine Mill, the grain bags are printed on a
1910 printing press.
The mill also offers shopping for foods, quilts, goat's milk soaps ane more.
The Old Mill in Sevierville, Tennessee, and built in 1830, has been the site of many regional firsts,
including post office, iron forges, sawmills, secret looms for knitting Union clothing and electricity.
the environment and stay for the activities-music
and folk festivals, camps for
kids, classes in blacksmithing, carving,
medicinal plants and more.
hagoodmillhistoricsite.com
Suber's Corn Mill
The water rushing down the wooden
chute and turning the wheel " is one of
those sounds you tuck away in your memory, "
says the fourth-generation family
operating this 1908 mill. With a history
of other nearby Suber family mills dating
back to the mid-1800s, grinding corn at
this location is now a weekly event. Grits
and cornmeal are the delicious results,
along with animal feed. A friendly welcome
and interesting stories await.
2002 Suber Mill Road, Greer, SC 29650
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North Carolina: Mingus Mill
Located in Great Smoky Mountains National
Park, this 1886 working mill was
built in only three months at this historically
busy mountain crossroads. An efficient
system of moving water from the
creek into a sluice, then through a millrace
and under the structure to power a
cast iron turbine was cutting edge techFrancis
Mill
One hundred thirty-five years ago William
Francis, a master carpenter, millwright,
farmer, mechanic and well-known
beekeeper, built this structure. Perhaps
most awe-inspiring-the 24-foot wheel.
First made of poplar, it was replaced with
steel in 1914 and continues so today. An
extensive volunteer-based effort has renovated
the mill with attention to quality
craftsmanship while preserving original
equipment. It is still owned and operated
by William's great-great-granddaughter.
francismill.org
Tennessee: Valentine Mill
Watch and learn the inner workings of an
1800s grist mill in action. Eat fresh-baked,
scratch biscuits slathered in homemade
jelly or jam (created from locally sourced
fruits). Buy a handmade quilt and goat's
milk soaps and lotions. And, take home
flour, mixes, cornmeal and grits ground
from non-GMO, chemical-free grains and
Heirloom corn. The bags are even printed
on a 1910 printing press. All the ingredients
of a good day! valentinemills.net
The Old Mill
A visit to this 1830 mill, one of the oldest
continually operating and most photographed
in the country, is a journey
MAY/JUNE 2022 65

http://www.nps.gov/grsm/planyourvisit/mfm.htm http://www.francismill.org http://www.hagoodmillhistoricsite.com

Blue Ridge Country May/June 2022

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