Clover Hill Mill
Encyclopedia
The Clover Hill Mill is a gristmill
located in the U.S. city of Maryville, Tennessee
. Out of the hundreds of early-20th century mills once scattered across the mountains of East Tennessee, the Clover Hill Mill is one of the few still in operation, and the last such full service mill in Blount County
. The mill was added to the National Register of Historic Places
in 1989.
The community of Clover Hill was established in the 1820s along the headwaters of Baker Creek, and by 1849 a gristmill
had been established around which the community developed. By the 1860s, Clover Hill had its own post office, school, church, distillery, and general store. The completion of a railroad line a few miles to the north in 1906, however, caused the community to shift to what is now called the Binfield community. The gristmill burned in 1921 and was replaced by the present mill that same year.
to the south and Morganton Road to the north. The stream that once provided power to the mill is a headwater stream of Baker Creek, which empties into Tellico Lake near Greenback
.
along the recently built Morganton Road. Conger also planted a large clover
farm, and thus when he established a post office in his store, Conger chose the name "Clover Hill." In 1841, another settler named John S. Craig organized what would eventually become the Clover Hill Presbyterian Church. After the Civil War, a physician named Samuel Gault set up a practice at Clover Hill, and served as the community's post master.
A distiller
and miller named David McKamey built the first Clover Hill Mill in 1849, which became a center of activity for the Clover Hill community. In 1887, two millers named "Martin" and "West" owned and operated the Clover Hill Mill. After the L&N Railroad completed a line running roughly parallel to Morganton Road a few miles to the north in 1906, a Clover Hill store owner named William Carpenter moved his store to where Clover Hill Road joins Morganton Road in hopes of establishing a railroad stop. Carpenter was appointed post master of the new community, which was named "Binfield," in 1907. In 1915, the Clover Hill post office was discontinued.
After the original Clover Hill Mill burned in 1921, the mill's owner, Gilbert Blankenship, built the present mill on its site. Blankenship powered his new mill with electricity, and abandoned the classic overshot wheel and mill race design of its predecessor. Brothers Russell and Roy Perkins eventually purchased the mill, and in 1958 the mill was sold to Oscar Whitehead. Whitehead's sons, the mill's current owners, assumed operations of the mill from their father in 1978.
roof, weatherboard
siding, and a concrete foundation. A porch with square columns spans the front of the building. One-story wings are attached to the east and west ends of the structure, which were traditionally used as office space and storage space. The interior of the building retains much of the original mill machinery.
The mill's outbuildings include a frame storage shed, built around 1960, and four metal grain silos, all built between 1969 and 1975. Due to their age, none of these structures are considered "contributing" structures on the National Register listing. The concrete foundation of the original mill's overshot wheel is located behind the present structure.
Gristmill
The terms gristmill or grist mill can refer either to a building in which grain is ground into flour, or to the grinding mechanism itself.- Early history :...
located in the U.S. city of Maryville, Tennessee
Maryville, Tennessee
Maryville is the county seat of Blount County, Tennessee, in the Southeastern United States. The city is located south of Knoxville. Maryville's population was 27,258 at the 2010 census. It is included in the Knoxville Metropolitan Area. Maryville has received a number of accolades for its...
. Out of the hundreds of early-20th century mills once scattered across the mountains of East Tennessee, the Clover Hill Mill is one of the few still in operation, and the last such full service mill in Blount County
Blount County, Tennessee
Blount County is a U.S. county located in the U.S. state of Tennessee. Its population was 123,010 at the United States Census, 2010. The county seat is at Maryville, which is also the county's largest city....
. The mill was added to the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
in 1989.
The community of Clover Hill was established in the 1820s along the headwaters of Baker Creek, and by 1849 a gristmill
Gristmill
The terms gristmill or grist mill can refer either to a building in which grain is ground into flour, or to the grinding mechanism itself.- Early history :...
had been established around which the community developed. By the 1860s, Clover Hill had its own post office, school, church, distillery, and general store. The completion of a railroad line a few miles to the north in 1906, however, caused the community to shift to what is now called the Binfield community. The gristmill burned in 1921 and was replaced by the present mill that same year.
Location
The Clover Hill Mill is located at the intersection of Clover Hill Mill Road and Clover Hill Road, about halfway between the latter's junction with U.S. Route 411U.S. Route 411
U.S. Highway 411 is an alternate parallel-highway associated with U.S. Highway 11. U.S. 411 extends for about 313 miles from U.S. Route 78 in Leeds, Jefferson County, Alabama, to U.S. Highway 25 in Newport, Cocke County, Tennessee. U.S. 411 passes through the northeastern State of Alabama, the...
to the south and Morganton Road to the north. The stream that once provided power to the mill is a headwater stream of Baker Creek, which empties into Tellico Lake near Greenback
Greenback, Tennessee
Greenback is a city in Loudon County, Tennessee, United States. Its population was at 1,064, according to the 2010 census. It is included in the Knoxville, Tennessee Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:Greenback is located at...
.
History
Early Blount County settler Abijah Conger arrived at what is now Clover Hill in 1823, and established a tavern and general store that catered to traffic travelling between Maryville and MorgantonMorganton, Tennessee
Morganton was a community once located in Loudon County, Tennessee, in the southeastern United States. Although now submerged by Tellico Lake, during its heyday in the 19th century Morganton thrived as a flatboat port and regional business center...
along the recently built Morganton Road. Conger also planted a large clover
Clover
Clover , or trefoil, is a genus of about 300 species of plants in the leguminous pea family Fabaceae. The genus has a cosmopolitan distribution; the highest diversity is found in the temperate Northern Hemisphere, but many species also occur in South America and Africa, including at high altitudes...
farm, and thus when he established a post office in his store, Conger chose the name "Clover Hill." In 1841, another settler named John S. Craig organized what would eventually become the Clover Hill Presbyterian Church. After the Civil War, a physician named Samuel Gault set up a practice at Clover Hill, and served as the community's post master.
A distiller
Distilled beverage
A distilled beverage, liquor, or spirit is an alcoholic beverage containing ethanol that is produced by distilling ethanol produced by means of fermenting grain, fruit, or vegetables...
and miller named David McKamey built the first Clover Hill Mill in 1849, which became a center of activity for the Clover Hill community. In 1887, two millers named "Martin" and "West" owned and operated the Clover Hill Mill. After the L&N Railroad completed a line running roughly parallel to Morganton Road a few miles to the north in 1906, a Clover Hill store owner named William Carpenter moved his store to where Clover Hill Road joins Morganton Road in hopes of establishing a railroad stop. Carpenter was appointed post master of the new community, which was named "Binfield," in 1907. In 1915, the Clover Hill post office was discontinued.
After the original Clover Hill Mill burned in 1921, the mill's owner, Gilbert Blankenship, built the present mill on its site. Blankenship powered his new mill with electricity, and abandoned the classic overshot wheel and mill race design of its predecessor. Brothers Russell and Roy Perkins eventually purchased the mill, and in 1958 the mill was sold to Oscar Whitehead. Whitehead's sons, the mill's current owners, assumed operations of the mill from their father in 1978.
Design
The Clover Hill Mill is a -story structure with a metal, gableGable
A gable is the generally triangular portion of a wall between the edges of a sloping roof. The shape of the gable and how it is detailed depends on the structural system being used and aesthetic concerns. Thus the type of roof enclosing the volume dictates the shape of the gable...
roof, weatherboard
Weatherboarding
Weatherboarding is the cladding or ‘siding’ of a house consisting of long thin timber boards that overlap one another, either vertically or horizontally on the outside of the wall. They are usually of rectangular section with parallel sides...
siding, and a concrete foundation. A porch with square columns spans the front of the building. One-story wings are attached to the east and west ends of the structure, which were traditionally used as office space and storage space. The interior of the building retains much of the original mill machinery.
The mill's outbuildings include a frame storage shed, built around 1960, and four metal grain silos, all built between 1969 and 1975. Due to their age, none of these structures are considered "contributing" structures on the National Register listing. The concrete foundation of the original mill's overshot wheel is located behind the present structure.
External links
- Clover Hill Mill – official site