Ole Gilliam Mill Park
Introduction
Text-to-speech Audio
Images
Ole Gilliam Mill Park - photo credit OGMP FaceBook Page
Ole Gilliam Mill Park photo by Wyneita Wright via FaceBook
Ole Gilliam Mill Park photo by Art by Jane Kate Brown via FaceBook
Backstory and Context
Text-to-speech Audio
Stephen Henly built the original mill in 1850 and ran it until 1870. In 1870 he sold the mill to Alexander McIver. Howell, John and Jessie Gilliam leased the mill for many years. In 1890 they bought the mill and around 500 acres of land from McIver. The Gilliams owned the mill until 1928 when it was washed away by a flood.
The present mill was completed in 1979 up the creek from the original site. It is a faithful reproduction of the original Gilliam Mill.
The reproduction of the Gilliam Mill was constructed by Worth Pickard on weekends and holidays with the help of Eddie Pachal, Bill Freeman, Bill Nielsen and George Pickard. All working parts were obtained from old mills throughout the southeast.
The proprietors, Nancy and Worth Pickard, in the year 2000 donated the mill, 15 acres of land, existing buildings and relics to the Ole Gilliam Mill Park.