Hagood Mill, Pickens, SC

2011.2.19

We went to Hagood Mill in Pickens to see the waterwheel that drives the mill, making grits and cornmeal. It was really interesting. You can see in the video how it works. They pour the corn in the funnel up top and it makes its way through the machine. When it comes out onto the screens, the first bucket to the right catches the cornmeal because this screen is super fine. The second bucket catches the grits as the screen is a little less dense. Then the last small bucket catches the scraps I guess you would say and they feed these to the animals.

Here are the girls inside the mill.

They have vendors around the land showcasing their products. Everything is handmade. There were ladies quilting and knitting. These hats were made out of wool and mule hair. That was as close as we got to admiring the hats, but had to return them to the display as they were $50 each. She said she had several months in these hats, so she really is not making anything off of them even at that price.

This is at the top of the area where the water is piped in from up the river. Then it flows on this channel to the actual waterwheel. This little boy started following the girls around so we just included him in our pictures. I think his name was Blake.

We went with Papa and Grammie. This is us waiting on Papa....he found someone he knew and grew up with at the bee and honey table. I thought we were going to pass out from hunger waiting on him.

This guy was running the mill machines. He took up with our girls and I felt like we got special treatment. He did a little history lesson with Blaine on quill pens and writing. She got to write her name and then he did it for her in fancy type. He was very talented.

They also had a blacksmith, a lady whittling canes and her husband carved things in different woods as well as makes spoons and played them. It was pretty interesting!