Snapshots from Yesteryear -
Spring Mill Historic Photographs
These photos of the Grist Mill; built in 1817, operated until 1892 and restored 1927-1930, are from the Park Collection and are the property of the Indiana Department of Natural Resources (DNR). To request use of any of these photos, please visit the DNR photo policy page and complete a release and request form. Credit should also be given to the Indiana DNR if these photos are used in any publications.
Snapshots from Yesteryear -
800.235. Photograph of village from the north, looking south. Visible in the photo are the post office, apothecary, mill, and Lower Residence. Lower Residence has clapboard siding, two doors, and rail fence. Stagecoach road is rocky and has at least one ford. Wagon by mill.
800.258 Photograph of mill showing south side with flume and supports. Wooden brace visible between two supports. Windows still intact. Present Mercantile still looks good. Man holding team of horses with covered carriage. Woman in carriage. Child next to man.
800.236. North and west side of mill. Pile of rubble at NW corner of building. No windows and no flume. Summer. Possible stagecoach step NW corner.
800.237. South side of mill in winter with three people. Mill still has windows and flume. Back of photo says "Hamer's Mill, Sunday, Nov 27, 1898 with an address to return it to. Note that stone debris is visble below flume, and hillside east of mill is cleared.
800 285. Photo of Hamer family in the village. Mill showing SE side. Flume and windows pretty much still intact. Man reclining on horse. Eleven other people in a line. Can faintly see "..mers, Aug 17, 1901" written on front.
800.265 Photograph of village, looking southeast toward mill, apothecary, and post office. Horse drinking water or grazing in forefront. Handwritten “Deserted village of Hamer ‘14” (1914?) Rail fence on north side of residence.
800.248. Taken about 1927. Photograph os south side of mill. Children in cart. Windows and flume are gone. The back of photo says: “Lorena Jean, 1912 born; Roscoe Jean; Hug Jean. Born 1923 in village in Caretakers House. Brother and sister to Pauline Saylor. 1909 Thelma Jean Reynolds born in Mitchell. Marie Georgia, Otto, Harold, Ed, Wiliam, Bill” Unknown what it all means.
800.256. Photograph of mill, lookin gnorth with crumbling flume supports visible and heavy tree growth. Corner of photo notes July 4, 1916. Note said the photo was found in a dumpster in Paoli in July 1987 and mailed to the park.
800.271 Photograph looking at south side of mill with grazing horses. Dog in lower left. Flue gone, windows gone, weeds in forefront. Trees grown up along creek. Reads “pict. #6” on back. Distillery appears to be gone. Seven supports visible.
800.279 Photo of mill, south and west sides, some windows and sashes. View of apothecary and post office. Hood on 3rd floor window is intact. Clapboards visible on apothecary and post office. Flume still there.
800.284 Photo of mill, south and west sides. Flume and windows intact. Some sort of log pen next to door. Piles of logs that look like a crib on SW side of mill with possible collapsed barrel staves. Munson House is visible at far right, clapboards and doorway visible.
800.281 Flume is gone. No sign of Munson House is visble.
800.291 Photo of mill, north and west sides, showing distillery and 12 people with wagons by the mill. Of note, the northwest side of the mill has a stony parking area; can see cracks in mill’s north side. Shed roof visible on distillery (not there now).
800.403 Mill with group of visitors. Granny White House visible to the right of the mill. Big walnut tree to the right of the photograph.
800.302 Photo of mill looking just redone from west side. Automobiles parked in front of mill. Foundation in the foreground visible of what may have been the caretaker’s house location.
800.429. View of mill and flume. Fire hydrant and lamppost in foreground. Two men sitting on bench, one man entering mill. Two other figures walk toward the creek.