Hugh Smith Pharr established the first mill about 1850 on this site. It was washed away by a flood around 1910. The present Pharr Mill was built by Paul Stallings in 1912.  A dated stone at the mill indicates that I. B. Garmon constructed the mill in 1912. 
A water-powered mill – The mill building contained 3 mills used for grinding corn, wheat, and feed for livestock.  The mill was in operation until around 1933.  Near Pharr Mill was located a sawmill, 2 cotton gins, a blacksmith shop, and a general store.  Pharr Mill held one of the areas first telephones.  Pharr Mill is located on land owned by the Stallings Family.  Paul Stallings bought the land in 1888.  He and his family farmed the 185 acres raising mainly cotton and cattle.  He also owned and operated the mills and other businesses near the Pharr Mill.  His son, Joe Stallings, continued to farm this property raising mainly cotton and grain until 1980.  In 1980 River Hills Estate was established on the farm land.  Joe Stallings developed the property, and Richard Goodman, owner of Goodman Construction Co., started building homes.  The first house was built in 1981.  On October 1, 1997, River Hills Estate was annexed into the town of Harrisburg.  In 1996, the River Hills Estate Home Owners’ Association was established. Roger Green was elected President at that time.  In the spring of 1997, Roger Green and other members of the Association became interested in having Pharr Mill preserved as an historic site.  After much work by Roger Green and the town of Harrisburg, the Historic Preservation of N. C. was in the process of declaring Pharr Mill as a historic site.  The Stallings Family donated Pharr Mill and the 8-acre tract of property surrounding it to the town of Harrisburg.  The mill was to be preserved as a historic site.  The land surrounding the mill was to be used by Harrisburg as a park. Later some of the old line shaft material started to disappear so much of it was relocated to the Harrisburg Park at 6960 Robinson Church Road for safer keeping.

Joe Stallings, his three sisters and Joe's daughter Margaret Ann donated the mill and 8 acers of land to the Town of Harrisburg on Oct 12, 1998.

Above information was furnished in a letter from Margaret Ann Stallings.