The Old Boxley Mill is someplace I’ve heard about for years, but I’d never been, so this past weekend we took the opportunity to go explore the old mill.
The Mill itself is just off Highway 43, just a few miles east of the junction to Highway 21 and is generally NOT open to the public, but the National Parks Service does open it up every October on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays for a few hours each day (10a-1p) for public viewing.
The three-story mill was built in 1869 by Robert Villines.
While up until this point, most grist mills were built on rivers, and reliant on seasonal water supplies, the mill in Boxley used a mill pond that was created by impounding a nearby spring so water was available year around.
The mill was used for 80 years, under three different generations of Villines. At its peak the milling capacity was about 200 pounds of meal per hour.
By the late 1950s, demand for meal began to decrease as store-bought bread became more popular and after a flood damaged the mill, Clyde Villines (the 3rd generation owner) shut down the mill.
After years of falling in disrepair, the mill eventually was turned over to the National Parks Service and was entered into the National Historic Register of Historic Places in 1975.
In 1984, the National Parks service began restoring the old mill – but money is always tight and restoration was not complete. However, the Gorgas Science Foundation saw the innovation in the mill and also helped to renovate the old mill.
Today, the first floor renovation is complete and you can see an old pulley system, the old turbine, a couple of flour bins, the hopper where mill was poured in before it was ground and many bins that carried ingredients between floors.
If you get a chance to check out the mill, it’s worth the trip to check out a little piece of rural American History. And if you go, and the mill is open, remember to bring a flashlight. There is no electricity in the mill so it can get pretty dark at times.
Distance: It’s a short walk from the parking area that is just off the highway.
Difficulty: Easy
Footwear: Whatever you have on
Stars: 3.5, out of a possible 5.
Kids: Definitely
This is family,many generations back :),, Beautiful, Were still a strong bunch!
Posted by: Janet Jones Taillon | 10/12/2014 at 07:00 PM