White's Mill — Local services in Athens

White's Mill site was established in 1816. Captain Silas Bingman built the first mill with a massive cut sandstone foundation. Bingman constructed a 10-foot wooden dam at the mill site which supplied water to the wooden waterwheel.

Joseph Herrold bought the mill in 1840. Joseph and his sons operated the mill through the early 1900's. Joseph's son, Henry, rebuilt the dam in 1884-1885. It was destroyed in a flood. In 1895, turbines were installed and replaced the wooden waterwheel. The Herrold's did not operate the flourmill for several years. Ed White purchased the mill in 1911. The new owners installed $3,600 worth of new milling equipment. The fall of 1912 saw the mill at its height of prosperity. The mill's storage area was full with 4,000 bushes of grain and 100 barrels of flour. October 2, 1912, fire destroyed the entire complex leaving only the massive cut sandstone foundation that Captain Bingman had built in 1816, almost 100 years earlier. Ed White was not easily suppressed. He located a mill in Dyesville in Meigs County on Leading Creek. Ed White purchased the old Nathan Vale flourmill, dismantled it, numbered the parts, and reconstructed it at his location on the Hocking River. Ed White continued to run the mill. In 1936 his son's Gamaliel and Erskine took over the operation. The mill has remained a family business.

"The dam is attached to the mill on the south side of the Hocking River and extends partway across the river; a portion of the dam has been lost, so the remainder of the span consists of a foundation only. The dam is of log crib construction consisting of massive hewn logs notched to create a double walled crib tied together with more notched logs, the space between the walls being filled with debris of various sorts. The top was capped with concrete in the 20th century." (Andrews). In 1961, the dam was washed out and it was repaired within the year. In 1975, the dam was seriously damaged from floodwaters. It has not been repaired. The remnant wooden dam is quite impressive and is one of only a few examples of wooden dams left in the United States as of 1989. Today, 2011 you can notice that there was a large sandstone waterfall. You can see why the mill was built on this particular spot across the Hocking River. The large sandstone was a significant portion of the constructed dam.

The original mill structure that Ed White built consisted of two sections. The main flourmill is three stories and the attached building has two stories. These two sections rest on the sandstone foundation built by Captain Bingman which creates a full basement. Since Ed White's original construction in 1915, there have been some additions to the structure. In 1945, a turbine house was added on the riverside of the three-story section. In 1954, a concrete block storeroom and office was attached to the three-story section. A pole barn was attached to the two-story section in the 1970's.

Today 2011, White's Mill operates as a nursery and feed store. The interior of the historical building exhibits massive, hewn beams. The giant cut sandstone foundation can be witnessed from the other side of the Hocking River as can the remnant in the 1989 photograph below. The history of the old mill just makes the mill site all the more interesting....

Now listen here, if you ain't been to White's Mill down in Athens, Ohio, you're missin' out on a slice of history and hospitality that'll knock your boots off. Built way back in 1809 by ol' Joseph Herrold, this place has weathered more storms than a duck's back. After a fire in 1912 turned it to ashes, Edgar White hauled in a whole dang mill from Meigs County, piece by piece, and rebuilt it right on the Hocking River .

Fast forward a couple centuries, and this ain't just a mill no more—it's a full-blown country emporium! Need birdseed? They got it. Dog treats? You bet. Wind chimes, garden gnomes, and local honey that'll make your biscuits sing? All under one roof.

The fellas runnin' the joint, Rodney and Tyler, are as friendly as a hound dog on a porch swing. They've been keepin' this place spick-and-span since 2016, and lemme tell ya, their staff's so cheerful, you'd think they won the lottery.

So, if you're lookin' for a place that's got more charm than a front porch in July, head on down to White's Mill. It's where history meets hospitality, and everyone's...

Great place to get your garden goods. Also they have a lovely supply of flowers and the greenhouse workers will help you if you're not sure what's what. If you walk inside there's a whole lot to look at in there. Plenty of supplies and gifts. I would suggest to go with plenty of time to look around because there's so much to see. We go down a few times a year and it's always a fun time, really just a joyful place to stop in and support. I'd recommend for everyone to go at least once and see if there's something for you. Good luck and happy harvesting/...