Monday, August 30, 2010

Bears Mill... untold beauty

How many of you have been to Bears Mill? It's one of the few remaining operational water powered mills in the country and it's just down the road from Greenville, east on Hwy. 36, then a right on Arcanum-Bears Mill Road.

If you've been there, I hope you took "the tour" with Bears Mill Mayor Terry Clark... or maybe he's the Bears Mill Ranger... in the midst of being its Mill Master.
You never know with Terry. And his tours are a hoot.


For the past couple of years, Terry and a group of dedicated individuals have been working on making the mill "Green" - totally self-sufficient on the energy generated by the stream that turns the wheels of the mill. They're close to that goal... more on that down the road.

For those of you who have visited the mill, are you are aware of its untold beauty? Take a walk into the woods south of the building and just start following the path. It's fascinating and beautiful at the same time.

First you'll come to Terry's Vietnam Memorial, honoring Darke Countians who served in that conflict. He built it because he is still suffering from some of the things he had to do while serving... but we all have to remember, he served, and should also be honored.

Keep going and you'll reach the dam that diverts the water from Greenville Creek to the trench built to power the mill.

As you return, you'll notice a path off to your left. You'll see some gorgeous scenery... Darke County woods at their most beautiful. Keep moving behind the mill to the other side, and you'll see where the trench reunites with Greenville Creek.

God's greatest example of perpetual energy... power generated with no loss of the resource.

If you get a chance, the brief tour should be a "things to do" must. In the meantime, I hope you'll enjoy the pictures. The two ladies who (unknowingly) posed for these photos, are my sister Melinda (blonde) who fell in love with the Mill two years ago, and my wife Susan, a life-long resident who also enjoyed her first visit.








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