Parrish Pond Mill / Watson Mill
Emanuel Co. | Georgia | USA
Watersource: Fifteen Mile Creek.
Parrish Pond Mill / Watson Mill
Take Sh 23 south from I-80 in twin City for about 4 miles, turn left on SR 8291 and go about 2.5 miles to the mill at the combination covered bridge/grist mill on SR 8291 at Fifteen Mile Creek.
In approximately 1885, the last piece of machinery installed in the mill was put in place. Today is the home of George L. Smith Mill Museum in George L. Smith State Park.
It was started with one set of mill stones, purchased by Emmet Parrish, from a discarded mill in Bulloch County. The diagram, if legible, depicts the working of the mill.
Prior to setting the mill stones, Hendricks and Parrish installed the necessary equipment, machinery, belts, pulleys and other related hardware to operate the mill.
"Parrish Pond Mill" built by ALexander Hendricks and Jim Parrish
The mill is actually also a covered bridge, probably the only on in the nation, on SR 8291 over the outlet of Parrish/Watson Pond, through which Fifteen Mile Creek flows.
The turbine used wooden bearings made from a South American wood (Lignum vitae). This wood is the hardest and densest in the world . It is also beneficial to use because it is self-lubricating, even underwater, due to the oils in the wood.
This mill, which ground only corn, served the people of Emanuel, Bulloch and Candler Counties for many years. The mill is located in the George L. Smith State Park in Twin City,Ga.