Beneath the mill itself is one of the most unique spaces I have ever seen; instead of having a chute for the water to flow through, the water would simply fill up this reservoir, forcing water through the turbine.
The whole space has an ethereal quality to it, and I can only imagine what it would have sounded like with the turbine spinning below the water. You can see the two long drive shafts sticking out of the water, still connected to the turbines.
Since the turbine was inside of the mill in the subbasement, water traveled into the mill via a large intake hole above the dam.
The screen, which would be cleaned periodically, trapped debris and twigs from entering the mill and clogging the turbines.
The water would then travel through the turbine and out through the hole at the base of the mill, below the dam.
The other holes were either for light, or for water overflow.
While many have an a romantic image of a giant waterwheel turning on the side of a rustic rural mill, in reality most mills had converted over to steel turbines by the turn of the 20th Century.
While Bollinger Mill no longer operates, you can still see the various machines, gears and other accoutrements that transformed water power into machine power.
The massive timbers holding up the building are impressive in their own right.
Throughout the mill are various signs that were hand painted by the operators; the spelling sometimes can be interesting.
This week we'll be looking at the stunning Bollinger Mill in Burfordsville, Missouri. It is accompanied by one of Missouri's last covered bridges.
The mill is a massive structure, and is probably one of the largest in rural Missouri; the stone portion is older than the brick structure above.
The weeds had gotten awfully high, and it was somewhat difficult to take pictures of the mill with the bridge.
What is truly wonderful is the continuing rural setting of the mill; stretching out from the mill is nothing by a small town on one side and pasture and fields on the other side of the river.
The interior of the Dillard Mill is perfectly preserved, and still runs as it had for over one hundred years.
Tours are offered year-round where you can watch the machinery operate.
Looking out the window, the water of the river pours over the dam with a roar.
Dillard Mill, approximately two hours southwest of St. Louis, sits amongst the rolling foothills of the Ozarks.
Famed for its setting amongst fields and the Huzzah Creek, it is one of the most photogenic sites in Missouri.
The roar of water dominates this part of Missouri, whether it is crashing through a shut-in, onto a waterwheel or over a dam.
The Dillard Mill is actually the second mill on the site, and was active until 1956; the first mill, the Wisdom Mill, burned down in the late 19th Century.
The exterior is actually made up of sheets of tin pressed to look like bricks, which has then been painted red.
The replacement features a turbine, and not a waterwheel like most people are used to seeing at a grist mill.
The mill is deep in the woods near Davisville, Missouri; you can see a satellite image here.
