Lawrenceville in Gwinnett County, Georgia — The American South (South Atlantic)
Freeman's Mill
Welcome to Freeman's Mill, the last operating gristmill in Gwinnett County. From the late 1860s to 1986, Freeman's Mill provided wheat flour, corn meal and feed meal for the county's residents and their animals. Its pond afforded nearby Alcova Baptist Church with a Baptismal, and the millhouse itself provided a gathering place for the surrounding rural community.
In the 21st century, Freeman's Mill Park offers Gwinnett County residents a sense of its agricultural past. Grist milling was an important part of farming life in Gwinnett County. In 1840, the county had 33 gristmills. In 1880, there were 30. Once a common site on Georgia's Piedmont rivers, mills such as the Freeman's Mill are rapidly disappearing.
The historical significance of this well-preserved mill property was recognized in 1998 when the mill was placed on the National Register of Historic Places. In 2002, the mill property was acquired by Gwinnett County with funding available from the Georgia Greenspace Program. Gwinnett County recognizes the historical significance of this landmark, the only surviving water-powered gristmill in the county.
In 2009,
the mill was raised 5 feet in place to raise it above the 100-year flood elevation. The mill building will be renovated and preserved in the future to allow tours of the interior.
Captions:
Alcovy Road Bridge, Mill, 1971
Customers at Freeman’s Mill, 1912
Lewis Swann’s concrete waterfall, 1967
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Industry & Commerce • Parks & Recreational Areas • Waterways & Vessels. A significant historical year for this entry is 1986.
Location. 33° 57.755′ N, 83° 55.572′ W. Marker is in Lawrenceville, Georgia, in Gwinnett County. Marker is on Alcovy Road SE west of Sweet Pond Road, on the right when traveling west. The marker is at the far western end of the parking lot for the Freeman's Mill recreation area at this location. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 1404-1458 Alcovy Rd SE, Lawrenceville GA 30045, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 4 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. Gid Tanner and the Skillet Lickers (approx. 2.4 miles away); The Dr. William Hinton House (approx. 3 miles away); Honest Alley (approx. 3˝ miles away); The Jule Oakes House (approx. 3˝ miles away); Tipsy Mules & Horses (approx. 3˝ miles away); The Cotton Bag Wedding (approx. 3.6 miles away); The Home of Major William E. Simmons (approx. 3.6 miles away); Garrard’s Cavalry Raid (approx. 3.6 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Lawrenceville.
Credits. This page was last revised on August 21, 2020. It was originally submitted on February 21, 2018, by J. Makali Bruton of Accra, Ghana. This page has been viewed 369 times since then and 33 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on February 21, 2018, by J. Makali Bruton of Accra, Ghana. 3. submitted on February 22, 2018, by J. Makali Bruton of Accra, Ghana. 4, 5. submitted on February 21, 2018, by J. Makali Bruton of Accra, Ghana.