Old Mill Near Corinth

The "Old Mill" was Corinth's first and largest industry. It had its beginning around 1876 or 1878 in the form of a movable saw mill on the Crooked Creek Road. It was moved to Corinth by its owners, Charles W. and James Kinzy Hutcherson to the area across from the Crooked Creek-Lexington Pike intersection. They equipped the new building with a flour mill, corn mill, and a carding factory for wool; they also installed looms to weave blankets and lindsay cloth by machinery.

In 1879, J. T. Hutcherson, a widower, built a new home later known as the "Old Marshall Hotel", and to his new home he brought his new bride, Aripe T. Wheat, from Colemansville on horseback in a downpour of rain.The mill hands watching for his return saw him coming and tied down the mill whistle to blow continuously until the bride and groom arrived and alighted.

The old mill was at its peak from 1880 until 1900. During the busy season two sets of hands operated the mill, a day shift and night shift. The mill was never shut down except for Saturday nigh and Sunday or to oil and repair machinery.Customers came from Grant, Owen, Scott, Harrison and Pendleton Counties, some from quite a distance. Sometime farmers had to say a day or two waiting their turn to have their wheat ground, often stacked ceiling high.

It was Mr. Hutcherson's practice to feed and lodge his customers free of charge. He had gone for two or three days at a time without food while he was in the Civil War and he had resolved never to allow anyone to go hungry that he could feed. He kept that vow. In addition to his own family, household help, mill hands and customers,, he served food to political candidates, pack peddlers, fruit tree agents and dozens of railroad tramps.

An immense mill pond furnished the water for the steam engine to run the mill. The pond was also used for baptismal services, and in the winter when it was frozen over, ice houses were filled from it. The young people around Corinth had a good time ice skating there. Tom Simon, who had been born in Missouri near Truman's home, and moved to Corinth with his parents while a young boy, had brought the first ice skates to Corinth, but it was not long until many of the young folks were provided with ice sakes and got together for fun at the mill. Thus the mill provided employment, food and recreation for the Corinth community for many years.

Sesqui-Centennial, 150th Year of Grant County
Published by the Grant County
Sesqui-Centennial Committee, 1970