Cook's Mill

 

Cook's Mill, also known as The Old Mill and Greenville Roller Mill, Greenville, West Virginia

"1797, Valentine Cook which includes a "gristmill" and we know that he had carved out a 650 acre tract here by the time of a 1774 survey. We can surmise that the mill was built soon after because much of the tillable farmland along Indian Creek had already been claimed and was presumably being cleared and farmed to some degree. So, there would have been a real need to grind corn and wheat in an area so remote from other facilities. The mill would have been small and powered by a waterwheel connected to at least one "run of millstones" by wooden shafts and gears. but a mill on the frontier would have been more basic. Valentine Cook also had a gunpowder mill by 1797. using saltpeter from local caves, but whether this was on this site is unknown. 

A second mill must have been built in 1858, to judge by a contract signed late in 1857, by Jacob A. Cook, Riley B. Cook and waterwheel driven mill and implies that the machinery was to be constructed on site rather than factory built. At least two run of the stones, were included, together with a range of hoppers, screen chests, bolting chests, etc. all to be connected with elevators and conveyors. Clearly, this large mill was fully equipped to take advantage of all four levels and could produce a large volume of flour and feed. A wooden dam was used and remnants are still visible when pond is drained. This mill, however, was burned in the Civil War by Union troops. so it had a pretty short history.

In 1868, the mill was rebuilt by Riley B. Cook and partners and has been powered by turbines (beneath the mill) ever since. The date is indicated by a recent tree-ring analysis of the main replaced by roller mills. The concrete dam was built sometime after 1906. (The red waterwheel attached to the forge building is non-functional and was brought to the site from another mill.) A photograph from about this time shows a saw mill attached to the west side of the mill. By 1964 milling ceased altogether and the building was used as a furniture store for the next 23 years.

Starting in 1987, Jim Wells rebuilt the foundation and dam, restored one turbine to running condition and assembled a variety of milling equipment from disused mills in the area. The other buildings on this site, including the large forge building, were also built about this time, and a blacksmith's shop was established for a number of years. Fred and Barbara Ziegler bought the property in 2002 and restored the windows in the mill and forge, The property today is operated as a private park for neighbors and tourists alike." 

Hey there, How are you today? Found this mill location to be so well kept of a lot of the mills we visit, they allow for picnic, weddings and other such events, if you are curious, please do investigate into that. What a beauty.  I had to share all the history of this mill because I can not recall going to a mill and them giving you the info. The hubs will usually take pics of the info boards and when I get home I will take the time to read it ...absorb it. & enjoy it more ... rather than trying to read it all when visiting at that time. Makes it more easier for myself ... 

Chat soon. Take Care. Beth ( ;