Mollohan Mill

Introduction

Text-to-speech Audio

The Mollohan Mill is a historic grist mill located in Webster County, West Virginia. It was constructed in 1894 on the banks of the Holly River. The mill was placed on the National Register of Historic Places and it one of the only remaining turbine driven grist mills in the United States. The mill is featured as an attraction along the Mountain Parkway Byway and Backway in the northern part of Webster County.

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Backstory and Context

Text-to-speech Audio

The Mollohan Mill is located on two previous log constructed mills that were prior to the American Civil War. They were both destroyed in the great flood of April 1861. The Mollohan Mill was built in 1894 by Bernard Mollohan. It began operating on November 23, 1894. The mill operated until 1953 when a major flood destroyed its dam and washed away one of the water wheels.

Other than the dam and one water wheel, the original equipment of the mill is completely intact. The Mollohan Mill shows evidence of excellent quality workmanship in the cut stone foundation.

The mill is now owned by Bernard Mollohan’s granddaughter, Beth Mollohan. The mill was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1982. It was the first historic site to be listed in Webster County. One unusual thing about this mill is that the wheel is horizontal to the water rather than vertical.

Sources

http://www.visitwebsterwv.com/index.php?option=com_mtree&task=viewlink&link_id=15&Itemid=8 http://www.wvmountainparkway.info/historic-places.html http://pdfhost.focus.nps.gov/docs/NRHP/Text/82004331.pdf