The 2.5 story stone/frame grist mill that resided most of its life about 45 miles away, now resides only about 0.5 miles from Monticello. It was relocated and reconstructed in 1974 in an effort to make the Michie Tavern restoration project more authentic.

The mill that used to ply it's trade for the Michie family was too badly dry rotted to restore, as it was decaying and idle since the early 1900's. This c. 1797 mill was found and purchased by the Michie Tavern Restoration group in 1974; and along with some other parts from the Drumheller's Mill in Augusta Co., was relocated and reconstructed with painstaking effort.

The stream that feeds the current mill is not known. The mill at its former location at Laurel Hill, was used for grinding corn meal and livestock feeds as well as operating as a cider mill and saw mill. The location is very scenic and historical, as is the nearby Michie Tavern, c. 1784 and completely restored.

Another use for the mill was to serve as a temporary pre-hospital facility during the Civil War. It was saved from destruction by the Union Army by the owner Wendel Sites, who persauded the officer commanding the Union troops that the apparent slaves working the mill were actually freemen earning wages. This was true and was corraborated to the Union officers satisfaction.

The mill was sold in 1888 and continued to operate into 1958. The General Store section of the mill is designed as a old Mercantile. A wide variety of made-in-Virginia products such as: wines, jams & jellies, country hams, candies, and children's games & toys of educational quality from days-gone-by. The second story houses the Museum Shops which feature antique and current jewelry, pottery, tinware, quality collectables, and historical reproductions. Hours are 10 AM - 6 PM daily.

*Update: The water wheel is an I-X-L cast iron and steel overshoot water wheel that was made by the I-X-L Steel Overshot Water Wheel Company, that predated the Fitz Water Wheel Company that came into existance in 1902. There is no stream that feeds the water wheel. It is basically a giant toilet tank system. There is a float value in the pool below the water wheel that sends water into a pump and puts it into the end of the sluice box just out of sight in the trees. Ted Hazen of Pond Lily Mill Restorations 10/03/2007*