Spring Mill
Lawrence County, Indiana
History, Video, Waterwheel, Dam & Flume
History of Spriong Mill by Brenda Krekeler
Spring Mill was built in 1817. It was the focal point for a pioneer town that grew up here in the valley. At one point there were several gristmills, a woolen mill, a saw mill and a distillery. Spring Mill was constructed with hand-cut, limestone. It has three levels. The large wooden waterwheel was supplied with a consistant flow of water from Hammer Cave Springs. The springs are about 1/4 mile from the mill. There is a beautiful wooden water flume attached to the mill pond. At the mill pond the water goes through sluice gates and is then gravity fed through the flume and ultimately hits the over-shot wooden waterwheel.
The interior millstones were powered by the overshot waterwheel until the mill closed in 1892 due to the influx of the railroad.
After the Great Depression, Indiana started restoring Spring Mill. Subsequently Spring Mill State Park built 20 log cabins plus numerous other buildings.
Today, you will find pioneer buildings that are reminiscent of the 1863 era. They include: mercantile, apothecary shop, shoemakers, tavern, distillery, weavers, meeting house, a pioneer garden, carpenter and a blacksmith shop. Spring Mill is the largest attraction of this outstanding Pioneer Village.
The saw mill is located next to Spring Mill because it is powered by the same waters that power the millstones. The saw mill's power is from a small under-shot flutter-waterwheel. When the sawmill powers the up-and-down saw blade, the water stops flowing from the large waterwheel and is directed to drop down onto the smaller wheel. The sawmill is fully functioning and uses the up-and-down saw blade which works with a spacer. The spacer moves the rack and pinion carriage to advance the log. The log is then cut into lumber.
Click Here for Google Map of Spring Mill
Spring Mill State Park
Spring Mill
Box 376
3333 State Road 60 East
Mitchell, Indiana 47446
812-849-4129
Above Enjoy a Spectacular Video about Spring Mill
Within the interior you will discover 150-year-old milling equipment with hand-carved wooden gears, wooden augers and a bull gear attached to an enormous, one-piece, wooden power shaft. The exterior of Spring Mill is spectacular. You will witness the hand-cut limestone piers that support the quarter-mile wooden water flume. You will also experience the large wooden water wheel.
Nice perspective to locate where the flume, water wheel and saw mill are located at the mill building.
Paddle / Flutter Wooden Waterwheel
Small Wooden Waterwheel that powers the Saw Mill.
There is a aparatus that takes the water from the large wooden flume and shoots it directly on this small water wheel.
When the water hits this small wheel there is about a 25' head. The wheel runs at a tremdous force and the horse power is significant. Consequently, the attached driveshaft is powerful and supplies the energy necessary to saw the boads for the sa mill.
Wooden Waterwheel.
Functioning to power the saw mill.