North CarolinaNC Waterfalls

Yes, gristmills can have waterfalls. Many of them have overflow dams to create the height (called the “head”) needed for the water to have sufficient force to power the equipment. And if you read Classifying Waterfalls, you know that I consider a waterfall as simply water flowing over a precipice. So, dams back up water, which then flows over the top (precipice). Voilà. Waterfall!

But wait, Mingus Mill has no dam, so where’s the waterfall coming from? I call it a “millrace waterfall” because it’s created by water dropping off the millrace before it reaches the mill. When the mill operates, water flows through the race, or sluice, to the mill’s penstock and turbine. When it’s time to shut down, the miller closes a sluice gate, forcing the water off the race, which creates a unique and very pretty waterfall.

Whatever you call it—and even if you think I’m bat-guano crazy for including it on the website—you have to admit it’s a cool sight.

The first mill at this location was built by the Mingus family, who moved to the area in the 1790s. In 1886, Dr. John Mingus hired Sion T. Early to build the present structure, which has gone through several rehabilitations over the years, as it is currently.²²³