| Now listed on the National Register of Historic Places, Prater's Mill's heritage runs back to the days of the Cherokee Indians. Built by Benjamin Franklin Prater in 1855, the water powered mill was originally fitted with the latest in grain cleaning, grinding and sifting machinery, all powered by the Coahulla Creek. As the mill's popularity grew, Prater added a cotton gin, a saw mill, a wool carder (device that combs sheep wool), a syrup mill, a general store and blacksmiths shop. For almost a century, farmers lined up their mules and wagons before dawn, waiting for their turn with the millers. During the Civil War, the mill was used as a campsite by soldiers from both sides. While occupied by the Union army, the mill was considered a valuable resource for food and was not destroyed. The Prater family operated the Mill until the 1950's. A succession of millers ran it until the 1960's. In 1971, the all-volunteer Prater's Mill Foundation took over the Mill and began its extensive restoration and preservation efforts. Today, the mill is best known for the Prater's Mill Country Fair, a juried arts and crafts festival held each October with nearly 200 artisans, live music, and food vendors on the mill grounds. The site is free to visit and open daily from dawn to dusk year-round, with tours by appointment. |
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| Phone, Address and Website | ||
| Phone: 706-694-MILL (6455) - Address: 5845 GA Hwy 2, Dalton Georgia 30720 - Prater's Mill Website. | ||
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