The Jones, May, Snyder Mill, now known as the Trade Grist Mill, was built soon after 1802 by Thomas Jones. The Jones family came from North Carolina and homesteaded land on Roan Creek in an area known as Key Station, near Trade.

The Jones family sold the mill and property to Pleasant S. & Callie Wilson May, husband and wife, after 1850. Callie May's dress caught on a revolving shaft on December 3, 1892, resulting in almost instantanious death, as she thrown hard against a door.

May remained at the mill a few more years, then moved, with his family, to Idaho, spending the last of his days in Idaho & Washington.

The mill sold in 1915 to W.R. Snyder & wife, Clara Lou. The Snyder family moved there in 1925, with son Peter learning the milling trade on the job. He was the Snyder that did most of the milling from then on until failing health caused him to retire in 1989 at age 85.

Photo 4: the grinding area. Photo 5: the corn grinder for grinding cornmeal and grits. Photo 6: a small stonegound flour mill. Photo 7: a Knoxville Round Reel Flour Dresser, made by TY-Sa-Man Machine Co.

The mill was thought to be "haunted" by the ghost of Callie May; and even Peter did not like to be there alone, especially after darkness set.

The mill underwent changes throughout the following years, as all businesses do to keep pace with new processes and competition.

The new roller system was installed, at least on roller mill, and the mill was powered by a waterwheel until the 1950's, when a new road from Trade to Mountain City resulted in the destruction of the headrace and making the wheel effectively inoperable.

The old Snyder Mill, probably from the early 1900's. The old mill was purchased by Dennis & Diane Foley in 2004. They decided to locate their new home on the exact location as the old mill, so the mill was torn down; but, not before all the equipment was removed and donated to the Trade Days Museum in Trade.

The milling equipment on the front porch is a Savage & Tyler Roller Mill, manufactured in Knoxville, Tn. The Trade Days Museum had been established in 1989 as place to save the heritage of the area for future generations to see how the early pioneers to the area lived, worked, and celebrated.

A new building was built at the Trade Days Museum grounds and the old equipment along with some new installed to make an operating, authentic grist mill.

The mill operates today, grinding various grains to produce meal, flour and grits. See the link following for the mill's status since Sept. 2012: www.johnsoncitypress.com/article/102424