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Town’s Mill Elkahatchee Creek Alexander City, Alabama The
property is located in Benjamin
Russell acquired the property some seventy-five years ago. Today, Mr.
Russell’s grandson, The
long-range goal of this effort is the creation of a period type water
powered industrial village, as several available locations have potential
as additional water-powered facilities, such as: a gristmill, sawmill
and-or wood working facility. The ultimate goal sees an evolution toward a
not- for-profit, educational program. Details
of the early history of the original mill are sparse. An older, local
publication indicates that in 1876 the property was owned by Albert G.
Holloway and known as The Holloway Mill. A puzzling notation followed,
describing the enterprise as, “a gristmill and cotton factory.” Later
evidence indicates that the site was earlier known as The Town’s
Hillbilly (grist) Mill. This mill likely survived longer than the many
other long gone and mostly forgotten sites. The success and stability of
the ultimate property owner, the Russell family, and the mill’s
proximity to the water supply for the Russell Corporation were major
factors in the survival of the site and the ruins. Much additional good
fortune certainly assisted in the scenario. The number one factor here was
the fact that the sight offered almost fifty feet of fall in the creek
level from the mill pond to the mill. A waterwheel of more than thirty
feet was quite feasible; this and other most favorable conditions allowed
the various owners, in the latter years, to eke out some small profit up
until approximately 1940. The
three-story wood-frame mill house was destroyed by fire in the early
1940’s, and much of the massive stone foundation later fell in disarray.
The 300 x 12 foot dam had been breached on one side; but the 700 foot
headrace, once delivering water to the downstream mill, was found to be
generally intact. Most
fortunately the severe topography accompanying the uncommon elevation
change in Elkahatchee Creek rendered the area almost inaccessible. Today,
however, absolutely no wooden artifacts remain and during the years after
abandonment, society saw no fault in the scavenging of stone and
harvesting of timber. All sadly took their toll. Evidence of the past days
of a once major factor in the settling of this, then, remote region was
soon absorbed by time, forest, creek and fire--flames of it all, eagerly
fanned by man. A
quantity of fire damaged square steel nails and a number of unexplained
cast iron fragments, some one to two inches thick, were uncovered deep in
the rubble along with the fractured remains of several millstones. A few
dozen wrought iron wedges were recovered, lodged deep in rock crevices
along with a few wrought iron bolts and square nuts. These were the early
artifacts—buried at the lowest levels. The evidence begs the
question—Was the mill burned in order to retrieve the remaining iron for
a WWII scrap drive? The
primary construction materials were large, naturally occurring, local
stones. The scarce evidence of drilling or any type shaping of the stone
appears to indicate that, though huge, this was a primitive and bare bones
operation. Nothing less than life’s offer of only continual toil and
hardship would have set man to consider such a task—one seemingly
impossible today. The
area of the creek and the surrounding forest initially appear to be
untouched for centuries. The extremely rough and hilly terrain is now
covered by 12 to 36 inch oaks and dense undergrowth; but closer
examination shows evidence of huge, old scars in the hillside.
Undoubtedly, these are artifacts of the technique of removing the
overburden of topsoil to reveal the somewhat weathered and thus unattached
remnants of the once glass hard granite formation. Anyone
viewing the huge stones within or atop wall and abutments will invariably
ask. “How did they lift those huge stones up there?” Finally it begins
to dawn on those of us constantly deliberating the matter—they did not
lift any of them—they lowered this material into place. The
old timers evidently unearthed and removed or broke free all available
stone material far up on the hillside. This would have varied from small
to massive stones. All usable stone material was apparently dragged
downward toward the various construction projects “skint pine poles”
were likely used as rails for palates of stone or for single objects. To
provide foundations for this temporary conveyance, large areas were filled
with the residual soil and clay from the strip mining above.
The building material was cajoled along mostly by human power to, at least
the area of, its final resting place. The
forest and steep terrain along the creek are most attractive but the dam
and mill site on Elkahatchee Creek are a stunning picture of the beauty of
nature itself. The water falling over the dam is just the beginning of a
wild ride down the 50 foot drop on its way to the headwaters of another
unspoiled 100-acre lake below. The one hundred yards of granite bedrock
stretching from side to side of the damn sets up the width of a long
stretch of cascading waterfalls, pools and smooth shiny natural water
slides, all descending from the pond to the mill site. Together these
natural formations create one of the most esthetic and unique vistas in
the surrounding area of the state. Restoration
of the dam was completed in 2004 and the remaining heavy stonework the
next year. In early 2006 the new 35 foot steel type wheel began metering
water down the 38 foot head from the headrace above to the tailrace below.
In all but drought conditions Elkahatchee easily furnishes the average
requirement of 2,000 to 4,000 gpm, and the generous reserve held in the
top 3.5 feet of the millpond allows part-time production under all but the
most severe drought conditions. The
sudden drop in the elevation of Elkahatchee Creek creates a 50 foot head
or elevation of the water in the millpond above that downstream, below the
falls. The system provides a working head, of 38 feet even with 4 of
reserve head behind the dam. The pond is rather small but approximately
3,000 feet long, forming some five acres of surface area, which provides
reserve water capacity for lower flow periods. In
mid 2007 the mill house grew to dwarf the huge rock structure supporting
it and an authentic copy of the most common wheel of the day. The 35 foot
black metal waterwheel harkens back memories of the Ferris wheel.
Fitz, having
seen the Frenchman’s apparatus in The
wheel is mounted on the reconstructed stone wheel well, an integral part
of the massive 40 x 50 foot stone foundation of the
mill house. This stone structure now rising as before some fifteen feet
above the solid granite bedrock exposed below by the perpetual action of
the faithful flow of the creek. The mill building is entirely wood clad.
The period look of the shiplap cedar exterior conceals most of the modern
steel beam construction within. A steel reinforced concrete floor was
poured within the confines of the old stone foundation walls and this
working floor has 14 feet of clearance up to the “I” beams above. The
second floor is concrete over steel with 10 foot wall sections and a clear
story above. All practical attempts have been and will be made to present
a final appearance of a much older, conventional form of construction
within and without. Due
to the unique design of the headrace and gate system, an additional 2,000
gpm or so can be allowed to remain in the headrace and pass completely
over the wheel—the wheel continuing to run at full tilt. Also, and for
effect only the supply to the wheel can be shut off, allowing all of the
four to five thousand gpm to continue in the race, above and past the
wheel. The resulting crescendo of this 40 oot avalanche crashing with an
unimaginable roar on to the rocks below is in one sense even more
astounding than the scene of the huge waterwheel at full power. A
huge “segmented ring gear” some 25 feet in diameter is now attached to
the waterwheel. This gear drives a smaller pinion gear and its shaft.
Power thus enters the mill house to eventually drive the overhead line
shaft. An inline clutch allows the line shaft to be disengaged
instantaneously and a trap door type deflector in bottom of the headrace
can immediately cut off water to the wheel. Each of these safety devices
can be activated at numerous locations by tugging on a small line strung
through- out the mill. A
3,000 pound belt driven Beaudry power hammer, hafting a 135-pound head,
has been acquired and is being prepared for installation. This workhorse
from the past is not quite of the actual period but has the appearance of
an “old style device.” This overhead shaft driven machine will soon be
followed by a coal forge and other flat belt-powered blower or bellows.
Ancillary machinery is being sought, and hopefully will soon follow. The
start of a water powered, industrial operation of yore is eagerly
anticipated. Any assistance in locating related type equipment of the
“older style” will be much appreciated. The
second floor of the mill house now has a three room, two bath living
quarters opening on to a 50 x 8 foot deck. The entire second story has
impressive views of the creek directly below, as well as the rocky decent
of the water from the dam above. Two other rustic residences are up
stream, out of sight of the mill but just “beneath” the water falling
over the dam. No
electricity will be employed on any portion of the property—dwellings,
roads or grounds. The only exception is a small propane powered generator
for sanitation pumps and possible emergency use. As in bygone days, gas is
employed for lighting and light duty use in the mill and related areas.
The dwellings and other buildings employ gas for refrigerators, hot water
heaters and small space heaters. An
antique “hydraulic ram” pump furnishes ample water, using only the
power of passing creek water. This amazing and all but forgotten device
from the past pumps only a few gallons per minute to storage tanks on a
nearby hill. Pumping tirelessly, however, and with no energy cost, the ram
pump delivers several thousand gallons every 24 hours. At an elevation of
80 feet this creek water furnishes a sufficient quantity and pressure for
“running water” needs at most locations on the site. Modern
sanitation facilities are in operation through the facility. The necessary
holding tanks, pumps and a drain field for the approved systems were
designed into the system initially. And with meticulous and laborious care
little is noticeable beyond the modern bathroom facilities, sinks, faucets
and the likes.
Ben Russell
2544 Willow Point
Road
Alexander City
Email:
benr@russelllands.com Personal
web page: www.benrussell.com
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