Mingus Mill, one of the oldest grist mills in the state, is now temporarily closed for repair.
This photo, taken not long after the creation of Great Smoky Mountains National Park in 1934, shows a miller bagging cornmeal at Mingus Mill.
Mingus Mill powered by a turbine wheel, turned by water from the mill race.
Stones inside the wooden sheath ground corn into meal and wheat into flour, which was then transported to a bolting chest.
The bolting chest sifted through the ground wheat and separated them by size, producing distinct groups of finer flour in contrast with hefty bran.
Francis Mill.
The Timbes family has owned Francis Mill for six generations.
Bushel by bushel, the miller poured dried corn kernels into the square funnel-like hopper that fed them to mill stones turning in the round wooden case. (Note: mill stones always ground grain—they never pounded it)
Francis Grist Mill is over 130 years old, and was built to grind grain for Francis Cove, just outside of Waynesville.
Carolina Ground - The only operational grist mill in the area, Carolina Ground is modernizing generations-old traditions. With state-of-the-art facilities and a wooden Osttiroler for grinding, the mill supplies flour for dozens of small businesses in the region.
White Wheat Cake.
A Cherokee woman uses a large wooden pestle and mortar to pound corn into grain.
Virtually every farm grew corn making it a staple of life for mountaineering families.
Many farmers had their corn ground in tub mills, so named for the small horizontal wooden turbine that turned mill stones.
Made in WNC - Carolina Ground produces dozens of flour varieties, including rye flour, pastry flour, bread flour, and all-purpose flour. Visiting their website, you can find many recipes that incorporate their products.
Mingus Mill.
