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Waynesville is a unique town that includes an eclectic and spirited downtown lined with unique shops, art galleries, working studios and reinvented historic spaces, as well as rich local tradition and history. Waynesville is at the heart of an arts culture that’s thriving in Haywood County, a community that has been a part of Waynesville’s history since the 19th century.

A walk along Main Street encompasses it all, from traditional to contemporary. Gourmet coffee shops, bakeries and light, airy galleries.  Here, you’ll see brick sidewalks adorned with flowers and benches, cozy restaurants and an abundance of meandering window-shoppers.  Most of the shops date back to the early 1900s, offering a rare opportunity to imagine what it was like when the town was young.  Many still have original floors that now pop and creak from the many years of traffic.

Waynesville is also home to Mast General Store, a traditional mercantile shop housed in a 1930s clothing store. Here what is old is new again -  a café and gift shops, complete with chandeliers and high ceilings are located in a three-story renovated bank.

Haywood County was formed from Buncombe County in 1808.  Colonel Robert Love, a Revolutionary War soldier suggested the county seat be built on land he owned. He laid out the town and named it Waynesville, in honor of his commander in the war, General “Mad” Anthony Wayne. He donated land for the courthouse, jail and public square.  The Town of Waynesville was incorporated in 1871.

While you’re enjoying the heritage, visit Historic Shelton House, Francis Grist Mill and Frog Level, the revitalized railroad district, named to the National Register of Historic Places in 2003.

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Waynesville hosts many festivals and events during the summer months, including the Waynesville Street Dances (Square Dancing), or the Round Dance as it was called back in the day.  Folkmoot, an international folk festival, always starts with a parade down Main Street and the countries invited give everyone a glimpse of what is to come in a festive dance in front of the Historic Courthouse.  There are many festivals and events throughout the year that keep Waynesville full of life and laughter.  Festivals of Arts and Crafts, Fine Art and Artisans, Food, and Music are always just days apart.  Main Street is even closed down from time to time for some good ole fashioned block parties.

Waynesville offers many modern conveniences as well.  Many of the coffee shops are ‘hot spots’ with free wireless internet access.  Banks with ATMs are available on Main Street.  The Historic County Courthouse and the New Justice Center is at one end of Main Street and the Town Hall at the other.

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Fall Pumpkin Patch
The Pumpkin Patch at the First Methodist Church Every Fall

Indulge yourself in many fine restaurants and cozy places to stay.  Visitors can be pampered in luxury at many charming Bed and Breakfasts.  Condos perched high above Waynesville’s brick sidewalks offer outstanding scenic views of the town.  Or choose from many convenient hotels.  Many of these amenities are within walking distance of the Historic Main Street.

The mill has been handed down through generations, remaining in family hands. William Francis had a son named Monteville Pinkney Francis who spent his life running the mill. His son, Dewey V. Francis inherited the mill upon his death, and kept the mill in regular operation until his death in 1976.

The mill then passed on to his daughter, Hester Ann Francis Boone.  Boone wanted to restore the mill into its original condition, but it is Tanna Timbes, Boone’s daughter, who inherited the mill in 2003, that is seeing it through.

Tanna Timbes along with friends and family, formed the non-profit organization, The Francis Mill Preservation Society, and is dedicated to bring this Haywood County icon to life and preserve the Francis legacy.

With the help of the Heritage Conservation Network and the Society for Preservation of Old Mills, workshops for the mill restoration are held each summer. All the restoration work performed on the mill during the last two years consists of donated wood and volunteer labor.

As with most wheel-driven mills, a large gear-wheel was mounted on the same axle as the water wheel. This wheel drove a smaller gear-wheel on a main driveshaft running vertically from the bottom to the top of the building.

It was this power that controlled two stones; which were laid one on top of the other. The bottom stone, is fixed to the floor, while the top stone, is mounted on a separate spindle, driven by the main shaft. The grain would enter the top stone and through a process of furrows, it would be ground while making its way out from between the stones.

The mill is operational and I purchased a bag of cornmeal.   Stay tuned as I use that meal in one of their favorite recipes.

To Be Continued…

For more information on the mill, its ongoing restoration, and how you can help, please visit www.francismill.org.

The mill is approximately 2.4 miles from Main Street, Waynesville on Highway 276 SOUTH. GPS coordinates are 35 degrees 28-48N, 82 degrees 57-45 W. The elevation is about 2739 ft.

Francis Grist Mill was a stop on the Cold Mountain Tour in 2006.
The tour is scheduled every summer in Haywood County, North Carolina.

Note: If any corrections need to be made, please contact us.

Why the Francis Grist Mill?

This conversation started while eating a decadent chocolate cake I designed for a friend’s birthday party.  What type of flour did I use?  Flour is a vast topic in its own right.  And I shall be delving into flours in future posts.  But for now,   there’s a bit of Haywood County history that I would like to share with you.  We have our own Grist Mill in Waynesville and it is running.

History

I visited the Francis Grist Mill in 2006 as part of the Cold Mountain Tour and to research information for a county website.  I am sharing the information I was told then.  However, our conversation from the other night peaked my interest,  so I am revisiting the mill from a new perspective and will soon have an update.

The question is… if you lived in Haywood County in 1887, where would you go for news, gossip, and the discussion of political and community issues?

Answer:  The Francis Grist Mill.

What could a grist mill and community gossip have in common?

According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, grist is a grain or a batch of grain for grinding, and a gristmill is a building where grain is ground.  And in 1887, all the farmers had grain.

The story of the Francis Grist Mill (as I was told) begins with a young man named William Francis, who moved from Tennessee to Haywood County to seek his fortune. When he arrived, he met, dated and later married a young lady named Polly Almon.  Polly just happened to be the daughter of Gideon Almon, who, at the time, is said to have been the richest man in Haywood County.

The story continues with Mr. Almon being so fond of William Francis that he gave the couple one square mile of land as a wedding present. You can get a feeling of how much land that is every time you leave Waynesville via Pigeon Street and take a drive on the land that still bears his name, Francis Cove Road.

William Francis built the grist mill in the middle of this land. It was not only the place for the farmers to have their corn processed, but it was arguably the social hall of the county. As the rotating stones ground the corn into meal, everyone would catch up on news and swap stories.

To be continued…

For more information on the mill, its ongoing restoration, and how you can help, please visit www.francismill.org.

The mill is approximately 2.4 miles from Main Street, Waynesville on Highway 276 SOUTH. GPS coordinates are 35 degrees 28-48N, 82 degrees 57-45 W. The elevation is about 2739 ft.

Francis Grist Mill was a stop on the Cold Mountain Tour in 2006.
The tour is scheduled every summer in Haywood County, North Carolina.

Note:  If any corrections need to be made, please contact us.