It is believed that the present mill was built c. 1900. However, Ira L. Cosby in 1975 at the age of 79, explained that a mill has been located on this site for over 200 years.

After being purchased, the mill was operated by Philip Cosby and 3 sons. The mill prospered and was operated 24 hours a day during the harvest season.

Believed to be part of the contols for the turbine to power the mill. *Update: It was my grandfather, Ira L. Cosby, who bought Cosby's Mill. He moved with his family (my mother included) from New Bern, NC, to the mill in Grottoes, VA, in 1907. The ridge behind the mill is Cave Hill, the home of Grand Caverns. Philip L. Cosby was the father of Ira and it was Ira, and two of his sons, Ira Jr. and Duncan Cosby, who ran the mill. A third son, Philip R. Cosby, was the post master in Grottoes. Peggy Williams 04/13/2009*

What looks to be a flour packer, the black object, with the stairs to the second story curving around the corner.

A vintage photo from about 1910 showing the mill in operation. The team and wagon are positioned under the hoist and the farmer in the wagon loaded with sacks and barrels is either loading or unloading. The attendant in the upper door could operate the hoist to either pull up sacks and barrels to any floor or vice-versa. Some mills had internal slides from one floor to the next, sending a sack of feed from the second or third floor to the first floor without anyone touching the sack enroute. The slides were wooden and extremely polished from burlap bags and feed dust acting as a polishing compound.

An old turbine with a load of black walnuts spread out on the top to dry in the sun.

The owner is remodeling the miller's house and is thinking about using it as a Bed & Breakfast. The woodwork is beautiful inside. The upper window has a large wooden barrel showing in the window. Water was pumped into the barrel and then gravity was used to provide the running water.

The Cosbys used 2 turbines and a "Roller Mill" to produce their "Jersey Lily" self-rising flour. Prior to the 1940's, the flour was sold according to "stone" weight. In 1975, I. L. Cosby used two stands of rollers to produce flour. Two pound bags of enriched, bleached, self-rising flour stated: "If it' worth baking, it's worth Cosby's Flour" and "We can't make all the good flour, but all we make is good".

In 2008, the present owner is remodeling the millers house and hopes to do something with the mill later. There is very little equipment left in the mill.