Murray's Mill Historic Site — Attraction in Newton

Not far from our home in Mountain View, NC is the Murray's Mill Historic Site. As a teenager I drove by this mill countless times on my way to a friend's house. Back then the road went right by the mill and I'm not even sure if the mill was open to the public then.

The road has been moved away from the mill with a new bridge built over Ball's Creek (and yes there have been many local jokes told about the name of this creek! 😂🤣) and the mill and the properties around it restored and preserved for posterity.

It's only a ten-minute or so drive from Interstate 40 to the Murray’s Mill Historic District, in eastern Catawba County at Balls Creek. It makes for a perfect afternoon for picnic or a quick leg-stretcher around the pond which slips over the mill dam, and the 28 foot waterwheel. Nailed to a door-frame in the general store, an old coffee can catches bottle-caps, and a porch swing awaits you out front, as does a chat with friendly guides before beginning your tour.

Some History;

Preserved intact are the 1913 mill itself, the 1890s Murray & Minges General Store, the 1880s Wheat House, used as an exhibit gallery, the 1913 John Murray House, furnished to the period, and numerous outbuildings. Run by three generations of the Murray Family who closed operations in 1967, the picturesque structures and surrounding land form the last milling complex in the county, meticulously preserved and interpreted by the Catawba County Historical Association since 1980 when restorations began. Governor James G. Martin attended the opening ceremony in 1988.

Touring information:

Location: 1489 Murray's Mill Road, Catawba NC 28609

Phone: (828) 241-4299

General Store Hours: Sunday: 1:00 PM - 6:00 PM Monday: 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM Tuesday: 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM Wednesday: 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM Thursday: 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM Friday: 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM Saturday: 9:00 AM - 6:00 PM

The grounds are open during daylight hours.

Guided Tours (subject to availability) - $10 per person.

Self-guided Tours - $7 per person.

Active Duty Military & Veterans - Free.

Definitely stop by and see this place if ever...

This is a delightful, convenient, tidy, interesting, friendly Harvest Host stop! We arrived just before the general store closed . We were escorted to our site by a very nice and helpful young lady via golf cart. There was enough time to shop in the neatly stocked General Store. Bought corn meal ground on site The morning brought many sweet surprises, a pleasant quiet walk along a path through the mill grounds . An interpretive storybook trail took us to the mill from our site. Our site was easy, relatively level, and comfortable. I almost gave four stars not five only because we had a bit oversized rig, so turning around where necessary was a little challenging. But that was our issue, not the hosts! And they accepted us with the clear understanding that we are willing and able to back up! We would...

Trails to hike, benches all along the trails, tons of scenery to take pictures. Lots of great spots for picnics (no trash cans, though, plan for that). There are beaver tracks, deer tracks, raccoon tracks everywhere. Most of the trail is completely shaded. Lots of barns and older historical buildings to explore or take pictures of. Would be great if you were a photographer or artist! There is a cute "literacy trail" around the pond that would be great for your 5-8 year old kid. There are cute birdhouses everywhere. There is a trail at the base of the dam and picnic tables. Kids play in stream beneath the dam. There is a general store nearby that is super cute. They have festivals and 5k races, so it is a good idea to like their facebook page to...