{"id":1136,"date":"2018-08-23T15:47:14","date_gmt":"2018-08-23T20:47:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/visitmowp.local\/articles\/missouri-mills\/"},"modified":"2026-09-01T15:00:10","modified_gmt":"2026-09-01T20:00:10","slug":"missouri-mills","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.visitmo.com\/articles\/missouri-mills","title":{"rendered":"6 Historic Mills to Visit in Missouri"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

When the sun hits Alley Mill<\/a> just right, the reflection in the nearby spring stops hikers in their tracks. The image of the towering red structure on the teal blue water is striking.<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"A
Alley Mill<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Located a short distance from the crystal clear waters of the Jacks Fork and Current rivers in the south-central Ozarks, a lush oak and pine forest surrounds the mill. Said to be the most photographed spot in Missouri, the site \u2013 part of the Ozarks National Scenic Riverways \u2013 is part of the U.S. Mint’s America the Beautiful Quarter collection.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A short trail circles the spring and is the best way to fully experience the view. The spring \u2013 the seventh-largest in the state \u2013 pumps out more than 80 million gallons of water every day. Inside the two-story structure you’ll find National Park staff and displays that provide information about the vital role mills served in Missouri communities more than a century ago. An old one-room school house, general store, picnic area and campground are located nearby.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Natural beauty and history intersect at dozens of mills across Missouri. Many are under private ownership and serve as homes or rustic lodging for visitors. Others are part of the state and national park systems and are open to the public.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bollinger Mill<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The massive four-story Bollinger Mill<\/a> stands adjacent to the Burfordville Covered Bridge<\/a>, one of just four covered bridges remaining in Missouri. Located on the Whitewater River, the stone-and-brick mill dates back to the Civil War era. Year-round tours explain how area farmers relied on the mill to grind their wheat and corn into flour and meal. The Bollinger Mill State Historic Site has picnic areas and hosts special events, including folk music concerts and Halloween storytelling around a bonfire.<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"Interpretive
Informational p[anels inside Bollinger Mill. <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Dillard Mill<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Another of Missouri’s picturesque red mills, Dillard Mill<\/a>, is one of the state’s best preserved grist mills. Most of the machinery used to grind wheat into flour is still intact inside the mill, built in 1908. Located on Huzzah Creek, the Dillard Mill State Historic Site offers fishing, hiking and picnic areas. Tours of the mill are available throughout the year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Falling Spring Mill<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In the middle of the Mark Twain National Forest, Falling Spring forms a small waterfall as it pours out from a rock bluff wall. Falling Spring Mill<\/a> sits at the edge of the spring-fed pond. The waterpower harnessed by the mill, built in the 1920s, was used to produce electricity, grind corn and saw shingles. A wooden walkway leads to the mill, which still has some of its original machinery in place. The grounds include a small picnic area and a historic log cabin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hodgson Water Mill<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In addition to grinding grain, the water power produced by Hodgson Mill<\/a> operated a cotton gin, lumber mill and clothing factory. The bright red three-and-a-half-story structure, built against a tree-covered bluff, dates back to 1897. A spring emerging from under the mill spews more than 20 million gallons of water a day into Bryant Creek where ferns, moss and watercress thrive along the edge of the stream. Before the days of air conditioning, the spring-cooled air made the site a popular location for neighborhood dances. The mill is privately owned but can be viewed from roadside.<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"\"
Hodgson Mill<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Watkins Woolen Mill<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Many of the buildings constructed by Waltus Watkins during the 1800s \u2013 including a three-story brick mill and eight-bedroom Classic Revival home, are preserved at the Watkins Woolen Mill State Historic Site to give visitors a sense of what life was like in the 1870s. The mill<\/a> \u2013 where sheep’s wool was spun into yarn and woven into cloth \u2013 is the only 19th-century textile mill in the United States that still contains its original machinery. A wood-fired boiler powered a steam engine used to operate the mill’s looms. Tours and a visitor center tell the story of the Watkins family and their many business ventures. Watkins Mill State Park<\/a> has a 100-acre lake, paved bicycle path, fishing, campground and picnic area.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

When the sun hits Alley Mill just right, the reflection in the nearby spring stops hikers in their tracks. The image of the towering red structure on the teal blue water is striking.
\nAlley Mill
\nLocated a short distance from the crystal clear waters o<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3334,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_relevanssi_hide_post":"","_relevanssi_hide_content":"","_relevanssi_pin_for_all":"","_relevanssi_pin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_unpin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_include_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_exclude_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_no_append":"","_relevanssi_related_not_related":"","_relevanssi_related_posts":"15617,1065,1050,23488,1012,44075","_relevanssi_noindex_reason":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[3,7,9],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1136","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-art-and-history","category-family-fun","category-outdoors"],"pp_statuses_selecting_workflow":false,"pp_workflow_action":"current","pp_status_selection":"publish","acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n6 Historic Mills to Visit in Missouri<\/title>\n<meta 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