Mill Details

Joe Beam & Sons Mill

Clinton Co. | Ohio | USA
Known Dates: Mill site since 1808-16, this mill 1912
Township: Liberty Twp.
Watersource: Anderson's Fork River.

Location / Directions

Joe Beam & Sons Mill

Located at the corner of Main Sreet and Port William Road in the Village of Port William along the baanks of Anderson's Fork River.




View Larger Map
Verse for Thought
O God, our Help in ages past, Our Hope for years to come, Be Thou our guide while life shall last, And our eternal Home "O God, Our Help in Ages Past" by Isaac Watts 1674-1748
({From the Nazarene hymnal - Sing to the Lord})
Joe Beam & Sons Mill
Robert T. Kinsey 12/21/2011

This mill site was established in 1808 when John Unthank built a gristmill along Anderson's Fork. The natural waterfall provided an ideal location for a mill.

Joe Beam & Sons Mill
Robert T. Kinsey 12/21/2011

The milling ownership information painted on the mill wall, using Pureana Feeds logo/checkerboard pattern, describing the facilities and services available.

Joe Beam & Sons Mill
Robert T. Kinsey 12/21/2011

This particular mill was built in 1912 by William Oscar Beam, where Unthank's Mill stood. A dam was built over the waterfall to create a millpond, which helped turn the waterwheel that was located in the basement. The two story miller's house, beyond the far end of the dam, is constructed of the same type of concrete block so popular in the early 1900's, giving the appearance of stone material.

Joe Beam & Sons Mill
Robert T. Kinsey 12/21/2011

The dam in above picture is to the left in this photo, the photo taken from Main Street/Sr 134. The covered/tunnel-like pull-thu enabled the farmers to load and unload in the dry, a good feature, considering that it was raining this particular day.

Joe Beam & Sons Mill
Robert T. Kinsey 12/21/2011

The original wooden dam on the left of the picture was built on a natural waterfall, and at first, created a millpond with 8-9 feet of vertical head.

Joe Beam & Sons Mill
Robert T. Kinsey 12/21/2011

The millpond has, over the years, silted in so that it is olny about 2-3 feet deep behind the dam.

Joe Beam & Sons Mill
Robert T. Kinsey 12/21/2011

The head race behind the mill feeding from the dam, on the right, into the mills basement. The large tank on the left was used to store black-strap molasses, which was added to livestock feeds as a nutritive additive, as well as making the mixture more palatable to the creatures.

Joe Beam & Sons Mill
Robert T. Kinsey 12/21/2011

The mill as seen from across Anderson's Fork, at high water, from 1st Street/Paintersville Road/Sabina Road/Cr 5.

Joe Beam & Sons Mill
Robert T. Kinsey 12/21/2011

The mural of the mill, painted on the side wall of the mill addition, depicts Port William's founding year, 1824, along with the mill and C.A. Mason's Ice House on the east bank of Anderson's Fork.

Joe Beam & Sons Mill
Robert T. Kinsey 12/21/2011

The mural was dedicated to thoise whio served on the 79thv Ohio Voluntary Infantry during the Civil War from 1861-1865.

Joe Beam & Sons Mill
Robert T. Kinsey 12/21/2011

A view of the present area where the old ice house used to stand. The storage silos across the stream are a business called Roberts Farms, which may or maynot be associated with Joe Beam & Sons.GPS: 39' 33.06'N, 83' 47.26'W 1,017'/310 meters Port William Quadrangle

Joe Beam & Sons Mill
Robert T. Kinsey 12/21/2011

Thw mill, which converted to electric power in the 1930's, originally produced cornmeal and flour from wheat, and today is a family-owned feed mill. The mill was capable of storing 20,000 bushels of grain. Today, William's grandchildren, Maynard and Malcolm Beam, own the mill. The mill is structurally sound, with floor joists of beechwood, beautiful hardwood floors, and is still in operation.

 
Upload Pictures
I want to upload picture(s) at this time.