Post by BuckSkin on Jul 25, 2022 0:55:01 GMT
Mill Springs Mill
Mill Springs Park
9155 Hwy 1275 N
Monticello - Wayne County - Kentucky
My wife and one of her cougar buddies wanted to check out a new restaurant in Wayne County, Conley Bottoms or somesuch; on the way, they decided to stop by this place.
She snapped the photos and I did all the rest.
Had I have known they would end up here, I would have invited myself along; I haven't been there since I was maybe five-yrs-old.
I really don't have much excuse as it is in an adjoining county --- except now the lake separates us.
Saturday_23-July-2022
Read more at Kentucky Tourism and Wikipedia.
Be sure and watch this Video; surprisingly, this is the only video I could find; I wish they had captured it in action, both inside and out.
In these next two photos, that is Lake Cumberland and the actual Cumberland River and not just some backwater.
When this mill was constructed in 1877, and I am fairly certain there was a previous mill that it replaced, Lake Cumberland would not exist for another eighty years.
It is a miracle that the Corps of Engineers didn't demolish it like they did so many other historical places when they impounded the lake.
Barely visible in the photos is a fairly large pier with several docks where boaters can tie off and visit the park.
In the next two photos, you can see some of the inner workings of the mill.
Although it is idle today, this is a fully functional working mill that has been in regular service ever since I have been alive.
When the present structure was erected in 1877, a wooden wheel of 28 feet height was installed.
When it was sold to new owners in 1907, the 28 foot wheel was removed and the current 40 foot high, 3 feet wide, wheel was installed.
When the mill is operating, Meadow Creek is diverted through the big pipe you see and pours onto the wheel in overshot fashion.
In some of the photos, optical distortion makes it appear that the pipe is running up to the wheel; but, that is not the case; the pipe drops quite a bit all the way to the wheel.
Take note of the big gear inside the wheel; more about that in a bit.
Notice the huge steel pinion, right of center, that is meshed into that huge steel gear; that pinions axis is making several revolutions for each revolution of the big wheel; remember that.
In these next two photos, look at the lower-left and you can see another large geared wheel, not quite so large as the one attached to the water-wheel, but still plenty big; the axis of that gear is the axis of that pinion we discussed a bit ago.
Every time that pinion makes a revolution, this gear makes a revolution.
Not visible to us is another pinion meshed into this gear --- which may then be connected to the line-shaft or may yet be connected to another stepper.
This process is increasing the rotation speed many times over that of the water-wheel.
If I knew how many teeth were on each component, I could determine just how much increase there is; quite a bit just from what I am seeing.
I have not found that information anywhere, but it would be interesting to know how many horse-power this mill is producing; I bet it would surprise you.
The door on this porch is where you enter the floor where the finished product ends up.
The note on the door reads:
"The Mill will be closed until further notice.
The miller, Billy Brown, has recently passed away."
I hope old Billy passed his knowledge along to someone else who can step in and continue to operate the mill; I can count on one hand those I know who would be capable.
Without me being there and looking it over, I don't know if this is a Grist Mill, a Roller Mill, a Hammer Mill, or all three; and, it could very well have all three.
Most touristy people just say it is a mill and do not go into detail just what kind of mill it is and that actually is quite important to know.
If it includes a Grist Mill, then there will be stone mill wheels laying around outside that have worn away and lost their usefulness.
This is a beautiful place for a picnic.
I hope you enjoy them; thanks for looking.
Mill Springs Park
9155 Hwy 1275 N
Monticello - Wayne County - Kentucky
My wife and one of her cougar buddies wanted to check out a new restaurant in Wayne County, Conley Bottoms or somesuch; on the way, they decided to stop by this place.
She snapped the photos and I did all the rest.
Had I have known they would end up here, I would have invited myself along; I haven't been there since I was maybe five-yrs-old.
I really don't have much excuse as it is in an adjoining county --- except now the lake separates us.
Saturday_23-July-2022
Read more at Kentucky Tourism and Wikipedia.
Be sure and watch this Video; surprisingly, this is the only video I could find; I wish they had captured it in action, both inside and out.
In these next two photos, that is Lake Cumberland and the actual Cumberland River and not just some backwater.
When this mill was constructed in 1877, and I am fairly certain there was a previous mill that it replaced, Lake Cumberland would not exist for another eighty years.
It is a miracle that the Corps of Engineers didn't demolish it like they did so many other historical places when they impounded the lake.
Barely visible in the photos is a fairly large pier with several docks where boaters can tie off and visit the park.
In the next two photos, you can see some of the inner workings of the mill.
Although it is idle today, this is a fully functional working mill that has been in regular service ever since I have been alive.
When the present structure was erected in 1877, a wooden wheel of 28 feet height was installed.
When it was sold to new owners in 1907, the 28 foot wheel was removed and the current 40 foot high, 3 feet wide, wheel was installed.
When the mill is operating, Meadow Creek is diverted through the big pipe you see and pours onto the wheel in overshot fashion.
In some of the photos, optical distortion makes it appear that the pipe is running up to the wheel; but, that is not the case; the pipe drops quite a bit all the way to the wheel.
Take note of the big gear inside the wheel; more about that in a bit.
Notice the huge steel pinion, right of center, that is meshed into that huge steel gear; that pinions axis is making several revolutions for each revolution of the big wheel; remember that.
In these next two photos, look at the lower-left and you can see another large geared wheel, not quite so large as the one attached to the water-wheel, but still plenty big; the axis of that gear is the axis of that pinion we discussed a bit ago.
Every time that pinion makes a revolution, this gear makes a revolution.
Not visible to us is another pinion meshed into this gear --- which may then be connected to the line-shaft or may yet be connected to another stepper.
This process is increasing the rotation speed many times over that of the water-wheel.
If I knew how many teeth were on each component, I could determine just how much increase there is; quite a bit just from what I am seeing.
I have not found that information anywhere, but it would be interesting to know how many horse-power this mill is producing; I bet it would surprise you.
The door on this porch is where you enter the floor where the finished product ends up.
The note on the door reads:
"The Mill will be closed until further notice.
The miller, Billy Brown, has recently passed away."
I hope old Billy passed his knowledge along to someone else who can step in and continue to operate the mill; I can count on one hand those I know who would be capable.
Without me being there and looking it over, I don't know if this is a Grist Mill, a Roller Mill, a Hammer Mill, or all three; and, it could very well have all three.
Most touristy people just say it is a mill and do not go into detail just what kind of mill it is and that actually is quite important to know.
If it includes a Grist Mill, then there will be stone mill wheels laying around outside that have worn away and lost their usefulness.
This is a beautiful place for a picnic.
I hope you enjoy them; thanks for looking.
