Carraway Award of Merit: Francis Mill Preservation Society
For restoration of the 1887
William Francis Grist Mill in Haywood County. The operation at Francis Mill is now a favorite
stop on the Cold Mountain Heritage Tour.
Each year, Preservation North Carolina presents the Gertrude S. Carraway Awards of Merit to individuals and organizations that have demonstrated an outstanding commitment to promoting historic preservation. The awards have been given since 1975 and are named for the late Dr. Gertrude Carraway of New Bern, a leader in the successful effort to reconstruct the state's colonial capitol, Tryon Palace, in New Bern.
In 1887, William Francis built a grist mill to serve the community of Francis Cove and surrounding communities in Haywood County. The mill was situated on a square mile of land granted as a dowry to Francis’s wife by her father, Gideon Almon, one of the richest men in the area.
The original 24-foot mill wheel was made of yellow poplar harvested nearby. The white granite rock used in grinding corn and a similar one used for processing wheat were brought in from Richmond, Indiana. Eventually, the mill passed down to Francis’s son, and his grandson ran it from 1923 to 1976.
His great-granddaughter was next to inherit the mill, but she was unable to continue the operation due to ill health. When her daughter, Tanna Timbes, came into ownership in 1988, she was determined to restore the mill, which, by that time, needed much attention. To accomplish her goal, Tanna and others in the community formed the Francis Mill Preservation Society, a nonprofit organization dedicated to restoration of the historic mill.
A preservation workshop led by the Heritage Conservation Network took place in July 2004, and another in 2005. Work was completed on the foundation, a 25-foot beam was replaced, a new floor was built in the basement, exterior siding was replaced — among many other improvements. During subsequent work clinics, a new 24-foot wheel was installed and the flume was completed, thanks to a donation from the Steel Reese Foundation. The organization hired millwright John Lovett to refurbish the mill machinery, and finally the mill was ready to process its first load of grain in 32 years.
Today, the operation at Francis Mill provides an authentic backdrop for students learning about North Carolina history, for youth studying environmental issues, and for meetings of the Haywood County Genealogical Society — and it has become a favorite stop on the Cold Mountain Heritage Tour.
For this significant contribution, Preservation North Carolina is pleased to present the 2009 Gertrude S. Carraway Award of Merit to Tanna Timbes and the Francis Mill Preservation Society.
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