Central Roller Mills

Established in 1903, Central Roller Mills is a historic mill complex that once produced the Issaqueena brand of flour, cornmeal, poultry, and livestock. The mill is the only surviving intact roller mill in the state. When it was built, it was one of the hundreds of mills in South Carolina. By the time it stopped operating in the 1970s, it had expanded from the original three-story structure. At the mill's peak, it produced 100 barrels of flour, 5,000 pounds of cornmeal, and 15 tons of mixed feed each day.

The mill closed in the 1970s as a result of a decrease in demand for flour (schools, which were big customers, began to stop making their own bread). In the coming years, a few businesses occupied the mill including a food salvage company and an antique shop. It has been empty since 2006 but in 2008 Issaqueena Mills, LLC bought it and has been slowly restoring the old mill. The owners want to make the mill a tourist destination of some kind. Possible future plans include restoring some of the old corn mill equipment to make ground grits and/or cornmeal, or opening up a shop inside.

"A brief history of Central Roller Mills." Issaqueena Mills, LLC. Accessed October 29, 2018.  http://www.centralrollermills.com/past.htm.

Photo: Wikimedia Commons