Webbs Mill

Back in the 1980s our family visited this old mill near Spring Hope, NC. Built along the Tar River, it was no longer in use, but remains a very stately building complex. For many years, it was the center of activity for the town. as farmers brought their grain to be ground. Now it sits idle and in recent years has begun deteriorate badly.

Grinding stones frozen in time
River never stops
Finding resistance in rocks
being shaped in riverbed
Mill remains still
Dying a peaceful death
in trees’ embrace

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Photo: Dwight L. Roth

Fishing

There is an old mill in Dayton, Virginia where young boys liked to go and fish next to the big wheel. In the early 1970s I started developing and printing my own black and white photos. I went by to take a few photos of the old mill and found these young boys fishing in the mill stream. They became the perfect accessories to the mill. I loved the simplicity of it all when I look at these shots.

Old mill long standing silent by the stream

Mill stones no longer grinding corn

Giant wheel stuck in memories of the past

Mill pond remains full // water still flows

Potential energy moves on down stream

Young boys find a sweet spot near the big wheel

Long poles reach out over the water

Lost in the moment they wait for a bite

Fishing for the living next to the dead

B&W Photos: Dwight L. Roth

 

 

Webb’s Mill

Webb’s Mill like many others across the country no longer grinds flour and cornmeal for customers. This photo was taken in the 1980s. The mill has since gone into disrepair. Sad to see these great old landmarks disappear.

Webb’s Mill sits idle

Water still flows over the dam

Cornmeal grinding gone

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Webb’s Mill at Spring Hope, NC: Dwight L. Roth – Photo and Painting

 

 

 

Family History

As we were riding down the back roads of Lancaster County Pennsylvania, we found Snavely’s Mill where my wife’s father played eighty years ago, when he visited his grandparents at age eight or nine.

As you can see it is still operating and doing a booming business. Flour is trucked all over central Pennsylvania. My nephew works at a pretzel factory in Altoona that uses Sanvely’s flour.

I am guessing that the arch and keystone are where the water came under the road from the pond and ran the water wheel. Since the wheel is no longer used it has been closed up.

 Across the road from the mill is the house where her great great grandparents lived. The original millstones are leaning against the side of the barn.

At one time the water from this pond flowed under the road and into the mill to run the wheel that turned the stones above.

Below the house is the millpond where the children would ride in a flat boat dingy in the summer when visiting their grandparents.

This is where I saw the Great White Haron flying across the mill pond.

Some folks were fishing in Hammer Creek next to  the mill.

The giant steel S hooks are connected to long rods that run under the each floor. They hold the walls in place and keep them from bulging outward.

 

The large house is now used for mill offices.

The original stone wall has settled, but remains in tact.

Looks like the old mail boxes are in need of repair.

This is the view of the mill from a distance. You can see the whole complex.

The mill is a huge complex behind the old stone structure, as you can see in the photo below. The parking lot with filled with grain trucks waiting to be loaded and sent out.

As we were leaving, one of the mill trucks came around the corner returning to the mill.

Photos: Dwight L. Roth