John Blanchard's Mill site / Steve Mitchell's Mill ruins
Stone Co. | Arkansas | USA
Watersource: Blanchard Springs, tirbtary to North Sylamore Cree
John Blanchard's Mill site / Steve Mitchell's Mill ruins
Near Blanchard Springs off Sh 14 north and west of Mountain View.
The site of John Blanchard's Mill and Steve Mitchell' Mill ruins can be visited in Sylamore Ranger District at Blanchard Springs Caverns and Recreation Use Area.
The Mitchell Mill ruins, stabelized, looking downstream. Blanchard Springs Caverns is located north of Mountain View, Arkansas on Sh 5, then northwest of Allison on Sh 14 toward Fifty-six.
John Blanchard came from Kentucky following the Civil War. He had been wounded, was seeking peace and quiet, and found it in the secluded canyon of Blanchard Springs. It was here that he built his undershot grist mill on 6 hectares of land.
The Blanchaed mill was replaced by Steve Mitchell's Mill in 1900. He operated it until 1928. Then a Civilian Conservation Corps camp, established near the mill in the 1930's, brought about the reconstruction of the mill dam & Mirror Lake was formed. Plans were for full restoration of the mill to operating condition, but World War II intervened. The walls have been stabilized to slow ongoing deterioration.