6 Incredible Historic American Mills You MUST Add to Your Summer Road Trip

Did you know that many historic American mills are waiting to be explored?

Our country’s history comes alive at these historic American mills. While some have been transformed into private homes and other institutions, many of the US’s most iconic grist mills are still in working order, offering us a glimpse into a bygone era that saw its peak during the industrialization of the US.

We’ve rounded up a list of our favorite historic American mills with the most scenic views to celebrate those simpler times.

So if you’re planning to hit the road this summer, make a few pit stops to see them…and don’t forget to tell us about your experience in the comments section!

Click “Next” to relive the past through 6 historic American mills!

Glade Creek Grist Mill, West Virginia

Babcock State Park offers more than 4000 acres of stunning mountainous land, astonishing scenery, and a variety of recreational possibilities. But what attracts the most attention is the mill and the Glade Creek waterfall, which are the park’s main features.

This panoramic historic American mill is a 19th-century grinder. And park visitors soon discover it’s a beautiful recreation of the Cooper Mill, destroyed by a fire in 1920.

The new mill was constructed from recovered parts of three other mills gathered around the state of West Virginia. It’s open to the public on weekends and gives informal lessons on milling equipment and processes.

The park is located nearby Clifftop, just east of US Route 19.

Crystal Mill, Colorado

This 130-year-old historic American mill may be one of Colorado’s most-photographed ghost town locations. Here in the wild Rocky Mountains expanse near the town of Marble, there has never been and most probably never will be any electricity.

But just above the swift-running Crystal River, innovative miners and prospectors harnessed the river’s incredible power, creating a system that supplied compressed air to run mining equipment.

Even though the site is called Crystal Mill, this old building was only used to house an air compressor, which was extremely helpful during 19th-century mining operations. The old mining town of Crystal is just a quarter mile beyond the mill.

Sheep Mountain mine and its silver ore helped keep the area alive for more than 35 years.

Reaching Crystal to see this historic American mill, once home to 400 hardy miners and shopkeepers is achieved either from Marble, more than six miles of rough four-wheel-drive roads, or by County Road 317 from Crested Butte.

It is by no means a Sunday afternoon drive. But if you manage to get here, the view is well worth it!

Sugar Mill Ruins, Florida

During the 1830s, the entire Florida area was an undeveloped US Territory, only accessible through its Indian paths and rivers. Eyeing a strip of land along the coastal peninsula, William dePeyster and Henry Cruger came up with a plan for a new business venture.

They purchased 600 acres to grow and process sugarcane. This unsettling task was given to enslaved African-Аmericans, and they were used to clear the land, plant the cane and build a stone processing building.

The enslaved people were kept on the plantation to process the cane, using heavy crushing machinery from New York.

And just like any untried 19th-century venture, the pair of owners soon discovered that converting sugarcane into refined sugar took up a lot of time and had no chance of a speedy profit.

Before any real gain from the operation was realized, warring Seminole Indians, aided by the plantation’s slaves, chased away the overseer, John Sheldon. The revolters managed to destroy the plantation buildings, burn the cane fields and ravage the nearby town.

Almost 60 years later, a New York stockbroker, Washington E. Connor purchased 10 acres of property which included the ruins of this historic American mill.

Conner’s wife, historian Jeanette Thurber Connor, was deeply interested in the sugar mill and its short-lived history. By 1929, the New Smyrna property was conveyed to the Florida State Park Service.

Nowadays, the park offers a picnic area, a playground, and a nature trail.

Starrs Mill, Georgia

During the mid-19th century, thousands of mills across the eastern US took advantage of an endless supply of water power. And Georgia was no exception, with hundreds of grist, lumber, cotton, and textile mills scattered across the state.

Hananiah Gilcoat built this historic American mill along Whitewater Creek in 1825. The Gilcoat land bordered a new frontier in America, less than a mile from Creek Indian territory.

The mill property changed owners quickly until Hilliard Starr took over the property in 1866. Working the mill for 13 years, the Starr name has endured at the mill and in the community. Today the mill is recognized as a significant Atlanta Metro Area historic site.

Dating back to 1907, the present mill was rebuilt by William T. Glower when the last mill was destroyed by fire. As a popular place to take scenic pics and fish, this charming mill and day-use park can be found about 25 miles south of Atlanta, near Starrs Mill and Senoia.

Old Mill, Tennesse

The Pigeon Forge Mill, a.k.a. the Old Mill, is a historic American mill worth visiting any time of year. Snuggled into the banks of the west fork of the Little Pigeon River, this historic American mill has been circling since 1830.

Located just off the Parkway, it’s popular with locals and tourists alike. It dates back to the beginning of the 19th century and is one of the oldest operating grist mills in the US. It has a rich history and is essential to East Tennessee’s heritage.

It was built by businessman Isaac Love, an essential figure in the history of this area. He made the iron forge, which gave the city its name in 1817, on the same industrial complex where he built the mill 13 years later.

Under Love’s vision, the mill was originally used to grind grain. Local farmers would bring oats, wheat, and corn to the mill to make flour. In 1849, Love sold the mill to John Sevier Trotter, and from there, its objective changed.

Nowadays, the Old Mill is home to shops and restaurants. But its rich history gives a certain unforgettable ambiance to this Smoky Mountain city.

Old Mill, Sleepy Hollow, New York

Today’s Tarrytown and Sleepy Hollow villages are descendants of Philipsburg Manor, a colonial-era milling, farming, and trading center. In 1653 Frederick Philipse arrived at the Dutch colony of New Netherland, working as a carpenter for the Dutch West India Company.

And through his smart business skills, astute sense of politics, and two prosperous marriages, he came to control 52,000 acres of what is now known as Westchester County.

In the 1670s, Philipse acquired the property to construct a dam across the water of the Pocantico River, thus forming a mill pond to provide water power for grain grinding in this area.

Over the years, the flour business provided a considerable income for the Philipse family. During the American Revolutionary era, however, the Philipse descendants moved to England, so the property changed ownership.

Today, there are events and programs at this historic American mill that show how African, Dutch, and Native American cultures became intertwined at this colonial outpost.

Be sure to let us know what you thought about these historic American mills. And in the meantime, Must See Places has much more to offer! We also recommend reading: 8 Surviving Historic Covered Bridges in the US Begging to Be on Your Bucket List