The Meal Tastes Sweeter: Documentation of Young's Mill West Point Lake, Troup County, Georgia
Abstract
Architectural and historical documentation of Young's Mi ll West Point Lake, Georgia, was conducted for the Corps of Engineers, Mobile District. The work at the 1870s through 1940s mill included both property specific and contextual archival research, 4 x 5 inch format photography, measured drawings, and detailed mapping of the site. The current remains include a rock and cement dam with two end flumes, stone piers from the saw mill and grist mill, piers and a chimney from one cabin, the chimney from another cabin, and a store/office building with standing walls. The history indicated that Young's grist mill was built in the middle 1870s while the saw mill was built prior to 1896. Throughout the history of the mill, it was owned by Mr. Robert M. Young Sr. or his direct decendents. The saw mill was utilized only to meet the needs of the Young family holdings, while the grist mill served much of the surrounding country. Both mills were powered by Leffel mixed flow turbines. The operation of the grist mill continued through the 1940s, long after most water powered grist mill had disappeared from the Georgia economy. It is argued that the wealth of the Young family and the continued demand for traditional, stone-ground meal were responsible for the lifespan of Young's Mill. Keywords: Young's Mill; LaGrange; Millstone; Grist mill; Saw mill; Troup county; Beech creek; Water power; Postbellum; Piedmont; West Point Lake; Leffel turbine; Oral history; Archival research; Robert M. Young; Technology; Dam; Meals; Photography; History.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jul 27, 1989
- Accession Number
- ADA212874