Completed in 2009, the Jasper City Mill is the third mill to occupy this site.
The first mill was constructed in 1817 by Andrew Evans, and in 1820 the Enlow family began operating it. During the 1870’s flour was shipped by flatboat down the Patoka River to the Wabash and Ohio Rivers and as far south as New Orleans, Louisiana.
The old mill’s most famous visitor was young Abraham Lincoln, who came with his father, Thomas, in 1828 to grind the family’s grain.
The second mill was constructed in 1865 by the Eckert family and stood until 1964, when it was torn down due to flood damage.
The Jasper City Mill incorporates features of the two earlier mills, including a water-powered wheel and grindstones. The mill stones are originally from France and are approximately 200 years old. The waterwheel hub and gears were obtained from a mill in Virginia and are between 120 and 150 years old. The wood added to the waterwheel hub weighs approximately 5 tons and creates a functioning waterwheel with an impressive diameter of 25 feet. The workings are easy for visitors to observe.
With more than 2,000 square feet, the Jasper City Mill is the signature structure in the refurbished and growing “Old Jasper” area where Third Avenue crosses the Patoka River. Sitting on the south river bank, the Jasper City Mill is a working grist mill, grinding corn and making cornmeal to sell in its Country Store. Memorabilia from the old Jasper mills is also displayed.
The Jasper City Mill is located at 160 Third Avenue, Jasper IN 47546. For more information and hours, call the Jasper Parks & Recreation Department at 812.482.5959 between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, or the Jasper City Mill at 812.482.4924.