Mill History 

Woodson’s Mill has a long and varied history that starts in 1794 when the mill was built. 

1794 

  • Mill built by Guiliford Campbell (popular knowledge)

  • Original portion of the mill, which currently houses the stone wheels, was 32’ x 32’

1834 

  • Joseph Fulcher purchased mill for $1,500.50

  • Sellers, George & Polly Campbell, inherit the mill from John Campbell

  • During Fulcher’s ownership, the building was extended to the west by 14 ft/all four stories

  • Two story ell to the west was most likely added during the above time frame

  • Small ell to the rear was also added sometime during his ownership

  • Upgrades to the mill operation during this time include:

    • Bucket elevators, powered by the water wheel, which consist of six square wooden shafts that extend underneath the floor to just under the ridge roof, a distance of approximately 60 ft

1863

  • Nathan C. Taliaferro purchased mill for $15,000

1875 

  • Edward & Lucy Pettit purchased mill for $8,000

1885

  • The mill, known by then as Piney River Mill, was taken in trust for payment of debts due from Edward Pettit

1886

  • The Pettits pass the Piney River Mill and 57 ½ acres to Samuel Griggs in exchange for 516 ⅔ acres in Bedford County PLUS $1,000

1900 

  • Dr. Julian B. Woodson purchased mill for $2,100

  • During Woodson’s ownership a one-story shed roofed wing was added on the rear of the building to house a cider press (which would later produce whiskey during the Depression and Prohibition)

  • In the early 1900’s Ed Willis, who owed Dr. Woodson a $5 debt, is hired to repay that debt. Ed remains at the mill as Head Miller for the remainder of his life

  • Three acre Mill pond constructed in the 1920s’

  • Arts & Crafts style bungalow built in 1929

  • In addition to the mill, Dr. Woodson owned a 3000 tree apple orchard, a cidery, a 650 acre farm, a machine shop, a foundry, a saw mill,  and an ice plant (remains of which still stand to the east of the water wheel)

  • In the early 1900s Woodson added roller mills for processing white flour, which was finer than the stone ground product produced with the millstones

  • Additional machinery added by Woodson included a scourer, a mechanized packing machine, a Toledo scale (which is still used today), and a beam scale

  • Due to Dr. Woodson’s business savvy and community influence, the Piney River Mill is now known as Woodson’s Mill

1966 

  • Huron Campbell purchased for an unknown price

1983 

  • J. Gill Brockenbrough Jr. purchased mill

  • Brockenbrough spends the next few years restoring the mill

  • Steve Roberts is hired as head miller 

1992 

  • Woodson’s Mill is added to the National Registry of Historic Places

2012

  • Will Brockenbrough purchased mill through his father’s estate

  • Mill operation begins again as Woodson’s Mill reopens with the re-hiring of Steve Roberts as head miller

2020 

  • Deep Roots Milling begins milling at Woodson’s Mill

2021

  • William & Charlene Chinworth purchased mill

  • The Chinworth’s, not millers by trade, have deep respect for the history of Woodson’s Mill, and their hope is to steward it well into the 21st century. By doing so, it’s history can continue to be discovered and enjoyed by the next generation and beyond

Woodson’s Mill 2023