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THE BUSH MILL
PROJECT |
The original mill was
a log structure built on Amos Branch in the late
1800's and was destroyed by fire on April Fool's
Day. Farmers working in nearby fields were reluctant
to come help fight the fire when asked because they
thought it was an April Fool's joke. After they
became aware that the mill was actually on fire,
they came to help; but it was too far gone to save
it. Valentine Bush constructed the present building
in 1896. The metal wheel (supplying 30 hp) replaced
a hand-built wooden wheel in the 1920's. Located
above the mill on the same Amos Branch was a water
powered saw mill with a water powered wool carding
machine located below the mill. Not too long ago
every creek and stream had at least one mill on it.
On Saturday, local residents would throw a turn of
grain on their backs or on their horse and take it
to the mill to be ground. The days of the
neighborhood mill are gone now, but one of those
mills is back in production, grinding grain the old
fashioned way between precision stone burrs driven
by the power of falling water.
The Bush Mill
Project
The Bush Mill Project is an school-based enterprise established with the
support of the Nickelsville Ruritan Club, the Scott County School System, the
Rural Area Development Association, the Heart of Appalachia Tourism
Authority and the Virginia REAL Enterprise program. Begun in October of 2001,
the project teaches youth ages 14-21 how to own and operate their own business:
a 106 year old corn meal and flour mill at historic Bush Mill. In addition to
creating a school-based enterprise, a historic landmark is being restored and
repaired, bringing tourism and and retail opportunities to the area.
Six
students participating in the
Rural Area Development Association
program worked on making
repairs to the millrace and the historic mill after school and on weekends.
During the Christmas season, students worked with Ruritan Club members to open
and promote the "Country Mill Store" at Bush Mill, the first attempt at a retail
outlet for the corn and flour products. In an area where community pride has
been damaged by years of hard times, this project has awakened the desire to
reinforce the bonds between youth, their mentors and their home place.
The
Lonesome Pine Office on Youth provides technical support for the
development of the school-based enterprise, and provides support for the REAL
Enterprise youth entrepreneurship curriculum. The Nickelsville Ruritan Club is
caretaker of the mill and works with youth. The four remaining millers in
the area are passing their skills on to the youth as they work on the actual
mill and grind corn.
The
Scott County School System
is developing the
school-based enterprise, connecting Bush Mill with marketing and education
efforts at Twin Springs High School. And the
Heart of Appalachia Tourism Authority
is providing support for
promoting Bush Mill in tour books and on web sites.
The
project at Bush Mill is ongoing. Check out the student designed
Bush Mill website
for more information on tours, merchandise and upcoming events.
The Springboard Award
In the spring of 2002 the Lonesome Pine Office on
Youth, in conjunction with the other organizations involved won the
Appalachian Regional Commission's (ARC)
Appalachian Youth Entrepreneurship Education Springboard Award for the Bush Mill
Project. The award was one of only six awarded in the 13 state Appalachian
region and the only one in the state of Virginia. Each award winner received a
$2,000 grant to continue their work in youth entrepreneurship and a
commemorative plaque. This grant, along with other grant funds from the ARC has
allowed for many repairs to the mill and the millrace so that this project may
continue for years to come. The picture to the right is of several of the
people involved in the project at the Springboard Award Ceremony in Washington,
D.C. this spring.
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