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Gish Mill

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Gish Mill
A photo of the exterior of an historic mill pictured in the daytime
Gish Mill in 2023
A map of Virginia with a red dot near the southwestern portion of the state.
A map of Virginia with a red dot near the southwestern portion of the state.
Location350 Gus Nicks Blvd.
Vinton, Virginia, United States
Coordinates37°17′00″N 79°53′59″W / 37.28333°N 79.89972°W / 37.28333; -79.89972
Built1846
NRHP reference No.100007188
Added to NRHPNovember 18, 2021

Gish Mill (also known as Gish's Mill) is an historic gristmill located in Vinton, Virginia.

Brothers Christian and David Gish, Sr., early settlers in the region, operated a mill on the site as early as 1797.[1] The original section of the current structure dates to circa 1846, and was built on Glade Creek in Roanoke County by David Gish, Jr.[2] The mill was one of several on Glade and nearby Wolf Creeks built by members of the Gish family, giving the area its informal name of Gish's Mills (later Gish's Mill) before incorporating as the Town of Vinton in 1884.[3] The mill's importance in Vinton's history is reflected in its depiction on the town's official seal.[4]

The facility originally utilized water-powered millstones for grinding, but was converted to an electric roller mill in the early 20th century.[2] It survived at least two instances of fire, once in 1924[2] and again in 1940,[5] yet saw continued use as a mill into the 21st century.[2] The most recent tenant ceased operations in 2014,[6] and after a period of disuse, the structure has been placed on the National Register of Historic Places.[7] As of August 2023 it is in the process of restoration as a mixed-use development consisting of lodging, commercial, and restaurant space.[8]

See also

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National Register of Historic Places listings in Roanoke County, Virginia

References

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  1. ^ Moseley, Irma; Forbes, Madeline (1984). Vinton History 1884 to 1984. Centennial Committee. p. 9.
  2. ^ a b c d Kate Kronau and Alison Blanton (June 2020). "National Register of Historic Places Inventory/Nomination: Gish Mill" (PDF). Virginia Department of Historic Resources.
  3. ^ Kagey, Deedie (1988). When Past is Prologue: A history of Roanoke County. Roanoke County Sesquicentennial Committee. pp. 266–267.
  4. ^ "Vinton's History". www.vintonchamber.com. Retrieved May 1, 2023.
  5. ^ Barnes, Raymond (1968). A History of the City of Roanoke. Commonwealth Press, Inc. p. 807.
  6. ^ "Town set to buy Holdren's Country Store - Vinton Messenger". September 23, 2015. Retrieved May 1, 2023.
  7. ^ "149-0057 Gish Mill". www.dhr.virginia.gov. Retrieved April 28, 2023.
  8. ^ Boyd, Aila (December 8, 2020). "Vinton's Gish's Mill Awarded Redevelopment Funds". TheRoanoker.com. Retrieved April 28, 2023.
[edit]

Gish Mill at the Virginia Department of Historic Resources