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Last / updated / modified / checked 01SEP11 Thur.
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Hugh Smith Pharr established this first mill about 1850 down by the Rocky River on Pharr Mill Road. It was washed away by a flood around 1910. In this picture the mill entrance was from a very long and steep ramp on the West side of the building. The main ramp has handrails starting about 8 feet above the ground and the bottom stops at wagon height for loading purposes. A small 1 foot wide walk ramp goes from the ground to around one large step up to the main ramp. Wagon and horse tracks are still visible in the dirt and a horse shoe is attached to the top of the tree stump. The dam appears to be just to the left of the building. The pulley room may have been the light colored wood on the lower left of the building. There is a horse drawn wagon at the center post of the opening under the mill and a 6 " pipe sticking out from the building. The steel bridge in the picture below seems to be in the background of this picture. Picture and information furnished by Margaret Ann Stallings . On the back of the picture is written: Made Thursday 15th ,,, 1909. Pharr's Mill.,,, To the Joe Stallings family, Aug 7,1988 from Mary Harrill Cochrane and Ray Cochraine,,, Taken by L. L. Cochran 1909. ... There were only 2 months, April and July, with a Thursday the 15th, and the trees do not have July leaves on them so it must have been taken on Thursday the 15th of April, 1909- Ted.

FOR MORE HISTORY CLICK THE ABOVE PICTURE.

 

This is the relocated and rebuilt ( Existing ) 1912 mill. There are some 43 pictures taken of the mill on 8-3-1991 that will be scanned and some of the relevant ones will be placed on this site. The steel bridge to the right had a sloped entrance and exit ramp. During the late '50s and '60s it was a great thrill to enter and exit these ramps around 50 MPH. Shown just under the bridge is the mill mail box. After the relocation, the mill entrance and ramp into the mill still ended at wagon height, but was from the road on the East side. I have not located any steps up to the ramp in this picture yet. Picture and information furnished by Margaret Ann Stallings .
     
     
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Front view of Pharr Mill - East side facing Pharr Mill Road. We still have the door into the mill stored for future use. Picture taken ...6-9-06. 649
North side mill. First floor NW corner is missing and pulley room is sagging. Picture taken 6-9-06 651

Rear- West side mill Picture taken

6-9-06 652

The cleaning machine shown on the second floor in this picture is stored in the center section of the crib in the town park. Picture taken 7-28-07 3155
Dam, makes a good kayak chute now Picture taken 3-15-05 855. .
Turbines were installed after the first mill washed away in a flood. The ends of the turbines are visible in the above picture. Picture taken 3-15-05. 857
Center and East rock towards the road. They were the course rocks for horse and chicken feed. The left West rock was a fine grind for flour and has already fallen and several pieces are at the restored store. Picture taken 3-15-05. 845

Wheel/pulley room. Picture taken .. 4-6-06. 2276

Outside pulley room Picture taken

4-6-06. 2277

Rock towards road. The lifting arms in the above picture have been removed and placed in storage in the crib. Picture taken

7-10-07. 3687

Rock clearance adjustment. Picture taken 8-1-07. 3748
Building after front wall fell. The floor had sunk and the wall was being held up by the roof members so the building was more stable after the weight of the wall was removed ,. Picture taken 4-9-08. 5043
5045 Picture taken 4.9.08 Front view after front wall fell.
5052 Picture taken 4.9.08 North window.
5053 Picture taken 4.9.08 Picture of East wall that fell to the ground. The section pictured above was shored up in order to remove the last of the recovered equipment.
5054 Picture taken 4.9.08 Picture of East wall on ground.
5055 Seen leaning against the center post are the two lifting arms that served the mill stones. They are both stored at the crib in the town park. Picture taken 4.9.08
5057 Picture taken 4.9.08 Shows the course stones for grits, chicken, and horse feed. The remaining stone not shown is for flower and has already fallen to the ground and will be recovered later.
5058 Picture taken 4.9.08 Shows West segmented flour rock on ground.
5063 Picture taken 4.9.08 Underneath.
5065 Picture taken 4.9.08 Picture of East wall on ground.
5138 Picture taken 5.2.08 Starting to shore up East side of first floor and the roof. Newly braced roof header to be used as support for lowering machinery.
5140 Picture taken 5.2.08 Stairs that had fallen from the top attachment were now moved each day for entry from ground to first floor.
5141 Picture taken 5.2.08 Platform / landing for stairs to second floor where the cleaner was located.
5147 Picture taken 5.5.08 Setting up to remove cleaner from 2nd floor to ground. The chain on the tree at left is used to add stability to the building. Two braces from the ground to the roof will stabilize the east side of the building.
5148 Picture taken 5.5.08 Cleaner in 2nd floor. The company that manufactured this cleaner was contacted and they sent a catalog cut sheet which is now on display in the restored store.
5152 Picture taken 5.5.08 Cleaner still on second floor but on 1 " wood moving rollers heading towards the hole in the floor to lower to the first floor. .
5154 Picture taken 5.5.08 Hoisting and lowering equipment to get 2nd floor equipment to the first floor .
5155 Picture taken 5.5.08 Back roof that is over first floor thrashing equip.
5156 Picture taken 5.5.08 Lowering 2nd floor cleaner. Presently stored in crib in town park.
     
Lowering cleaner machine. Cleaner weighs 600 pounds. Picture taken 5-5-08. 5157 Dick working Coffing Hoist. Vi sable in the lower left is the stairs that originally went to the second floor that were placed from the ground to the first floor for easy entry. Picture taken 5-5-08. 5160 Lowering. Access to the second floor is by ladder and a hole was cut in the second floor floor for lowering. Picture taken 5-5-08. 5161
Picture taken 5-5-08. 5164 The machine label was still readable and was used to contact the manufacturer. Dick and Betsy preparing supports to lower cleaner to the ground. Picture taken 5-7-09. 5251

Ted lowering cleaner. Picture taken

5-7-08. 5262

Dick and Betsy. Picture taken 5-7-08.

5266

Dick pulling cleaner clear of building during the lowering. Picture taken... 5-7-08. 5263 Betsy blocking up for transport. Cleaner is stored in the crib at the Harrisburg Town park at Robinson Church Road and Southern RailRoad. Picture taken 5-7-09. 5267
   

6946 Blue tarp is covering the thrashing machine that has not been removed yet. On Monday, 21st of July 2008 Ross Annable dropped off a $500 check to the town of Harrisburg to donate money to pay for the crane rental when the thrashing machine is removed from Pharr mill to be stored in the corn crib on town property near the rail road tracks , 6960 Robinson Church Road. Above picture taken March '09.

   
     
copyright Ted McCachren 2009 all rights reserved