Historic mills of the Atlanta area
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There were several historic mills around the metro Atlanta area, for which many of its current-day roads are still named. Most of the mills date back to the 1820s and 1830s, and were built along the area's many streams.
[edit] Akers Mill
Akers Mill was located near Vinings. Located within the modern Cumberland/Galleria area, Akers Mill Road runs west from Powers Ferry Road at Interstate 285, immediately north of the Chattahoochee Civer, then turns south on Cumberland Boulevard, then departs west again after one block, crossing Interstate 75 and then Cobb Parkway, and forming the southern boundary of the Cumberland Mall property.
[edit] Arnold Mill
Arnold Mill was located in southeastern Cherokee County, Georgia, east of Woodstock, Georgia. Arnold Mill Road runs east from Main Street (former Georgia 5) in the exact center of downtown Woodstock to meet Hickory Flat Highway (Georgia 140), which continues as Arnold Mill Road southeast to Crabapple between Roswell and Alpharetta. West of Main Street in Woodstock, it becomes Towne Lake Parkway.
[edit] Autrey Mill
Sometimes misspelled "Autry" (as in Gene Autry), Autrey Mill Road is near Alpharetta, as is Autrey Mill Park.
[edit] Barnes Mill
Barnes Mill Road is just east of Marietta, Georgia. It crosses Georgia 120 (Roswell Road) and ascends Blackjack Mountain.
[edit] Brick Mill
Near Canton.
[edit] Brown's Mill
Near Atlanta.
[edit] Evans Mill
Near Lithonia.
[edit] Houston Mill
In 1876, the Houston Mill was built on the south fork of Peachtree Creek in Decatur, and used to grind corn (maize) into cornmeal. It was owned by Major Washington Jackson Houston, who in 1900 converted it into the first hydroelectric power plant in DeKalb County, and formed the Decatur Light, Power and Water Company. [1] [2]. Located above the confluence of Peavine Creek and South Fork Peachtree Creek, the dam itself still remains and the remnants of the millrace are still visible along the creek in Emory University's Hahn Woods park.
[edit] Howell's Mills
Howell's Mill was located near Atlanta. Named after Clark Howell, it was located on Peachtree Creek. Its original site was located just west of where the road bearing its name, Howell Mill Road, crosses the creek.
There were actually several Howell's Mills. In addition to the most well-known mill on Peachtree Creek, the Howell family established two other mills on Nancy Creek to the northwest. The mill located south of West Paces Ferry Road and Nancy Creek was known as 'Charley Howell's Mill', after Charles Augustus Howell, one of Clark Howell's sons. It is now the site of the Hardin Construction Company.
The Atlanta Humane Society is located on Howell Mill road, leading one former morning show on a local radio station to call it "Howlllllll" Mill Road when doing their pet of the week segments.
[edit] Mason Mill
Mason Mill was built by Ezekiel Mason on Burnt Fork Creek in Decatur. Mason Mill Road meets Clairmont Road near this point. Built by slaves, the sluice or flume for the mill ran back to Clairmont Lake. [3]
[edit] Moore's Mill
Moore's Mill was established along Peachtree Creek in 1828 by Thomas Moore. [4]
[edit] Pace's Mill
Pace's Mill belonged to Hardy Pace, one of Atlanta's founders. Located in what is now Vinings (formerly Paces), Paces Mill Road is a small spur route off of the much busier Paces Ferry Road.
[edit] Paper Mill
The Marietta Paper Mill was built on Sope Creek, near where it ends into the Chattahoochee River. Its ruins are still there, protected by the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area. Located in Cobb County, it is accessible via two-lane Paper Mill Road, which connects to nearby Johnson Ferry Road. In the west, the road briefly combines with Terrell Mill Road just before ending at Lower Roswell Road.
[edit] Rock Mill
Near Alpharetta.
[edit] Sewell Mill
Sewell Mill was located on Sewell Mill Creek , a tributary of Sope Creek. Sewell Mill Road is also located entirely in Cobb County, and runs from Georgia 120 (Roswell Road) east of Marietta, northeastward to Johnson Ferry Road. Old Sewell Road also exists; it is unclear which was the exact location of the mill.
[edit] Scott Mill
Near Canton, Georgia.
[edit] Terrell Mill
Terrell Mill Road runs from Cobb Parkway, northeast under I-75, then gradually curving north to cross Powers Ferry Road and the east end of Delk Road, before ending at Lower Roswell Road. While the name ends at this point, the four-lane divided roadway (an arterial road) continues straight northeast on Lower Roswell ever since that road was "broken", forcing drivers continuing on it to make a turn to stay on the same road. Just south of there, Terrell Mill Park is located on the southwest side of the road, where it is briefly concurrent with Paper Mill Road.
[edit] Tilly Mill
Tilly Mill Road is located in DeKalb County.
[edit] Tucker Mill
In Rockdale County.
[edit] White's Mill
In Atlanta. The mill was founded by John White in Dekalb County Georgia, and subsequently run by his sons. The facilities included a lumber mill as well as a grist mill located on what is now known as White's Mill Road, between Interstate 20 and Flat Shoals Road east of Atlanta. John White is buried at a small cemetery on Chandler Road just south of I-20.
[edit] Wilkerson Mill
In Atlanta.
[edit] Williams Mill
This mill was on the south fork of Peachtree Creek as the Williams Mill Road is today's Briarcliff Road, which used to continue southwesterly from where it crossed Ponce de Leon Avenue. A remnant of the old road name still exists that intersects N. Highland just south of North Avenue. Begun by Ammi Williams, it was purchased by Sam Durand before the War and military maps labeled it Durand's Mill on Williams Mill Road. It was last known as Wallace's Mill.