Mt. Vernon Dining Hall on 4-H campus
By Bob Weaver
Jackson's Mill is becoming a popular tourist stop in recent years.
The mill is best known as the state 4-H camp, but historically its story
is connected to the early development of central West Virginia and the
boyhood home of General Thomas J. "Stonewall" Jackson.
General Stonewall Jackson
Most recently it has become an historic area, depicting Jackson's life and
times, but also a way of life long before the General arrived on the
scene.
Three generations of Jackson family members operated a grist and saw mill
on the site, first in 1801.
The site is now a popular tourist attraction with guided tours, more than a
half-dozen historical buildings and hundreds of artifacts and tools
representing a bygone era.
Henry McWhorter cabin
Inside WcWorter cabin, the large fireplace is center of
structure
The Henry McWhorter cabin, built in present day Jane Lew in 1794, has
served as a home, post office, church and meeting place and was moved to
the Mill site in 1927. The Jackson house was nearby, now represented by a
stone marker.
2003
The Jackson Mill
The old grist mill
Large water-driven gear system extends to all floors
The Jackson Mill was the family livelihood for most of the 19th century. The
2 1/2 story building, now a museum contains hundreds of tools and artifacts.
The mill was powered by a two horizontal water wheels, with a series of
rods, wheels and gears connecting the floors. The mill produced grist and
lumber.
Mary Conrad's historic cabin was moved from Roanoke, Lewis County to the
site when the Stonewall Jackson Dam was constructed, and now serves as
an information center and country store.
Blanker's "working mill" with blacksmith shop across
road
A working mill was moved to the historic area from Greenbrier County, when
it was originally built in 1994. Blanker's Mill is an excellent example of a
working mill, and can still be used for demonstrations using water power
from a nearby pond.
The historic area also includes a blacksmith shop and a demonstration and
exhibit building.
2007
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