The Franklin Creek Conservation Association operates the Franklin Creek Grist Mill as the welcome and education center for the State Natural Area. Grist Mill visitors can obtain information about the hiking trails, and the animals, plants and geology along the trails. They can tour the historic Grist Mill, a reproduction of a mill located on site more than 150 years ago, and witness water power in action, view early construction techniques, see how corn was ground, and learn about the importance of the mill in the early life of the community.
The first floor of the Grist Mill is a Welcome Center showcasing the grinding stones that are still used to mill corn. There are models and displays showing the history of reconstructing the mill. This is also where you will find our Trading Post, the only gift shop where you can purchase Franklin Creek sweatshirts, hats and shirts, in addition to hiking items. You can also find ice cream, water, soda and cornmeal for sale.
The second floor of the Grist Mill features an extensive wildlife exhibit featuring a variety of animals that may be found on Franklin Creek land.
Visit our gift shop in person, or online via the button below.
Our cornmeal is made from locally sourced corn. After we get the corn from the seller, we are able to grind as soon as we have enough volunteers. Corn grinding is a team effort. We need volunteers to get the corn from the buckets to the hopper, make sure the corn isn’t feeding into the hopper too fast, transfer the ground corn to the sifter, work at the sifter, label and bag the final product, and clean up afterward.
Grist is any grain that can be used to make flour; in our case that grain is corn. The original grist mill operated between 1847 and 1896. When we grind corn today it is done in the same fashion as it was then, just on a much, much smaller scale. Corn is ground using water from the Mill Spring. The water travels over a quarter of a mile to the mill, where it turns the water wheel, which then turns the gears in the basement that make the whole process work. When we grind for cornmeal we want to make sure the water wheel speed is just right, somewhere between 8 and 12 rpm; if all is going smoothly we can get to about 14 rpm.
There are two millstones, composed of French Buhr limestone (also known as buhrstone), that do the actual grinding. The stones have to be set just right. We don’t want them set too close or we could damage the stones. However, we don’t want them too far apart either, or we’re not really doing much besides making cracked corn. The early mills would have had two sets of these stones, one for wheat and one for corn.
The next step is sifting the ground corn. This process is just to help strain out the pieces that are too large for cornmeal. These bits and pieces are still usable, just for bird feed instead of human feed. After the corn is sifted it is bagged and ready to be sold.
If you are interested in helping with this process, call the mill at 815-456-2718 or fill out a volunteer application. If you are interested in seeing the stones in action, please stop by the mill on the last Saturday of the month for a demonstration.
Our cornmeal is for sale when the mill is open, priced at $5 per bag.
Here is a small collection of favorite recipes from our events. Don’t see what you’re looking for? Contact us to tell us what recipe you’d like added!
The Franklin Creek Grist Mill is an ideal and unique facility to host a social event or an off-site meeting. While easy to locate, the secluded facility will encourage creative thinking from your employees. The rooms have heat and air-conditioning, and restrooms are available on the first and second floors. We have plenty of free parking and our facility is completely handicapped accessible, including an elevator. Tables and chairs are available to set up. The multi-purpose room on the third floor is used for meetings and educational programs. This room covers 1,800 square feet, so it can handle groups of up to 90 people.
The Franklin Creek Grist Mill is an ideal and unique facility to host a social event or an off-site meeting. While easy to locate, the secluded facility will encourage creative thinking from your employees. The rooms have heat and air-conditioning, and restrooms are available on the first and second floors. We have plenty of free parking and our facility is completely handicapped accessible, including an elevator. Tables and chairs are available to set up. The multi-purpose room on the third floor is used for meetings and educational programs. This room covers 1,800 square feet, so it can handle groups of up to 90 people.
Rentals are available April-October outside of public open hours. Contact us for more information.
