John Work House and Mill Site is a site listed on the
National Register of Historic Places in Indiana
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just outside
Charlestown, owned by the
Lincoln Heritage Council
The Lincoln Heritage Council (LHC) is a local council of the Boy Scouts of America serving 64 counties in four states: Kentucky, Indiana, Illinois, and Tennessee.
History
The Lincoln Heritage Council is one of the oldest BSA local Councils servin ...
,
(BSA), as part of the Tunnel Mill Scout Reservation. For a century, it was an active gristmill until technology made it obsolete, and arson destroyed much of it. Prominent features around the site are
Fourteen Mile Creek
Fourteen Mile Creek, shown as Fourteenmile Creek on federal maps, is a U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map, accessed May 19, 2011 creek in Clark County, Indiana, close to Charlestown. ...
and the
Devil's Backbone. The land is now used by the Boy Scouts of America for camping activities such as
National Youth Leadership Training
National Youth Leadership Training, often called NYLT, is the current youth leadership development training offered by the Boy Scouts of America. The program is conducted at the council level over six days for Scouts, Venturers, and Sea Scouts. ...
and a
Webelos
Cub Scouting is part of the Scouting program of the Boy Scouts of America (BSA), available to boys and girls from kindergarten through fifth grade, or 5 to 10 years of age and their families. Its membership is the largest of the five main BSA d ...
Camp. In 2010, part of the Tunnel Mill camp was leased to a private company for the purpose of restoring the Historic John Work House for use as a living history center. In order to prevent vandalism and amateur ghost hunters from further damaging the building, security guards patrol the property each night.
Mill days
The house was built in 1811. John Work (b. December 9, 1760
[) used virgin poplar forest to make by boards. It was originally two story/six room house with chimney for each room that if built today would cost several million dollars.]
In 1814 John Work (1760–1834) decided to build a new gristmill
A gristmill (also: grist mill, corn mill, flour mill, feed mill or feedmill) grinds cereal grain into flour and Wheat middlings, middlings. The term can refer to either the Mill (grinding), grinding mechanism or the building that holds it. Grist i ...
, to replace the one he had bought in 1804 from the brothers John and James Bates, for which he paid $10 an acre , but needed repair. It was near the only road leading from Charlestown and New Washington to the growing Madison. Spotting where Fourteen Mile Creek
Fourteen Mile Creek, shown as Fourteenmile Creek on federal maps, is a U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map, accessed May 19, 2011 creek in Clark County, Indiana, close to Charlestown. ...
made a S-curve around a limestone
Limestone ( calcium carbonate ) is a type of carbonate sedimentary rock which is the main source of the material lime. It is composed mostly of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of . Limestone forms whe ...
ridge and then dropped drastically, five miles (8 km) upcreek from the Ohio River
The Ohio River is a long river in the United States. It is located at the boundary of the Midwestern and Southern United States, flowing southwesterly from western Pennsylvania to its mouth on the Mississippi River at the southern tip of Illino ...
, he decided to create a tunnel through a spur of a hill to act as a mill race, which would mean a better source of water to power his mill. The race was completed in 1816, and the mill itself in 1818. A total of of powder made from saltpeter
Potassium nitrate is a chemical compound with the chemical formula . This alkali metal nitrate salt is also known as Indian saltpetre (large deposits of which were historically mined in India). It is an ionic salt of potassium ions K+ and nitrat ...
was used for the tunneling. The total cost was estimated at $3,300. The race was deep and wide; a man reportedly rode through it on opening day. A dam was later built for better year around use. Work would be credited for building three more mills upstream.
The mill started operating in 1819. The mill was ideally situated by being a day's ride from New Albany and Madison Madison may refer to:
People
* Madison (name), a given name and a surname
* James Madison (1751–1836), fourth president of the United States
Place names
* Madison, Wisconsin, the state capital of Wisconsin and the largest city known by this ...
, the second and third largest cities in Indiana at the time, and for being so close to Ohio River
The Ohio River is a long river in the United States. It is located at the boundary of the Midwestern and Southern United States, flowing southwesterly from western Pennsylvania to its mouth on the Mississippi River at the southern tip of Illino ...
landings. A sawmill was added to the mill, as was a saltworks
A saltern is an area or installation for making salt. Salterns include modern salt-making works (saltworks), as well as hypersaline waters that usually contain high concentrations of halophilic microorganisms, primarily haloarchaea but also othe ...
, powdermill, and still
A still is an apparatus used to distill liquid mixtures by heating to selectively boil and then cooling to condense the vapor. A still uses the same concepts as a basic distillation apparatus, but on a much larger scale. Stills have been used ...
. Tunnel Mill was also the first mill in the region to use a series of elevators to move corn called the Evans and Ellicott's machinery, which made milling the work of two people instead of six, a great technological advantage over those who had to carry sacks of corn all the way to the top of the mill so it could be milled step by step. The mill was able to handle 2.5 barrels of corn an hour. Soon after being built, Work's Mill was the most profitable and efficient in the area. Even after most local small mills closed due to not being able to compete with large urban mills, the Tunnel Mill still operated.
After Work's death on February 1, 1832,[ the mill would pass through the hands of several owners, and would change with the times. The Mill under Work was a custom mill, where farmer's would just send corn for their own personal use. Future owners would make the mill a merchant mill, where farmers would sell the corn to a mill and the mill would process the corn to sell for itself in various forms, from flour to grits to flakes. Some of this would be shipped on the Ohio and the ]Mississippi River
The Mississippi River is the second-longest river and chief river of the second-largest drainage system in North America, second only to the Hudson Bay drainage system. From its traditional source of Lake Itasca in northern Minnesota, it f ...
. The original mill wheel was made of oak, but in the mid-19th century the wheels became metal, as wooden wheels only lasted 5–10 years before needing major repairs. When John Hunt Morgan
John Hunt Morgan (June 1, 1825 – September 4, 1864) was an American soldier who served as a Confederate general in the American Civil War of 1861–1865.
In April 1862, Morgan raised the 2nd Kentucky Cavalry Regiment (CSA) and fought in t ...
did his 1863 Raid the mill was seen as being in dangered, as Morgan ransomed other Indiana mills such as Beck's Mill
Beck's Mill is a historic gristmill in Washington County, Indiana, in the United States. It is seven miles (11 km) southwest of Salem. It was built in 1808, rebuilt in 1864 after a fire, one year after John Hunt Morgan demanded ransom for e ...
. An addition was added to the house in the 1860s.[
The mill would remain in operation in the 1920s as the sole remaining operating gristmill in Clark County, but would be sparsely used as mills in Louisville were cleaner and more efficient due to their modern technology. However, the mill was often used as a bathing house for those who liked to swim in the creek. On August 1, 1927, a fire destroyed the mill building. No one knows if it was started by a discarded cigarette, by one of the swimmers, or by the last owner, Henry Murphy, who reportedly had a history of his properties burning. Plans to rebuild the mill in 1958 and 1981 were never realized, although the 1990s did see the addition of a garage to the house.][
There were plans for development to occur on the property. In 1904 three developers from Jeffersonville planned an inter-urban trolley line between Charlestown and Madison, and would have placed a fifty-foot hydroelectric dam where the mill's dam would be, which would have made a lake, for which could be use for public recreation. Engineers at the time decided it was not feasible. The plan was brought back in 1921, but it was also a failure. 1935 would see the last attempt of such a project, but while a new dam was finished in 1936, it produced no electricity. In 1940 rural electrification finally powered the property.
]
Work/Faris Cemetery
A cemetery containing the plots of John Work, his wife Sarah Jackson, and other Clark County pioneers is located on the property. It is by the bridge across Fourteen Mile Creek near the old camp entrance. The last known burial at the cemetery was in 1869 for Rebecca Work Drummond Faris.
Tunnel Mill Scout Reservation
In 1927 Henry Murphy decided he wanted to sell the of land he held around the burnt mill. The newly formed Boy Scout Council, the George Rogers Clark
George Rogers Clark (November 19, 1752 – February 13, 1818) was an American surveyor, soldier, and militia officer from Virginia who became the highest-ranking American patriot military officer on the northwestern frontier during the Ame ...
Council (formed by Scouts of Clark
Clark is an English language surname, ultimately derived from the Latin with historical links to England, Scotland, and Ireland ''clericus'' meaning "scribe", "secretary" or a scholar within a religious order, referring to someone who was educate ...
, Floyd, Harrison
Harrison may refer to:
People
* Harrison (name)
* Harrison family of Virginia, United States
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In Australia:
* Harrison, Australian Capital Territory, suburb in the Canberra district of Gungahlin
In Canada:
* Inukjuak, Quebec, or "Po ...
, Scott, and Washington
Washington commonly refers to:
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counties) was seeking an area for a camp. In 1917 local Troop 3 had used the Work property as a summer camp, and used it for three straight summers. On April 2, 1928, Murphy sold the property to the Scouts. Organizations around the area pitched in to improve the property, allowing the camp to open in 1929. A series of three-sided pioneer-style cabins were built near the cemetery in 1933. In 1942 the Scoutmaster's Cabin and Evergreen cabins were completed. In 1950 the McDonald Bridge was completed across Fourteen Mile Creek. The camp saw its greatest use in the 1950s and 1960s, with 564 scouts the highest attendance ever (1960). In 1969 the property's swimming pool was built, as the creek was no longer safe for swimming. In the 1980s The Works Home was renovated by the Camp Ranger Jeff Streets, who then moved into the Works home after completion. Since 1993 the property has seen less use, as George Rogers Clark Council merged with another council, and the rough terrain protects it from development. Since the merger, the camp has been used primarily by Cub Scouts
Cub Scouts, Cubs or Wolf Cubs are programs associated with Scouting for young children usually between 7 and 12, depending on the organization to which they belong. A participant in the program is called a Cub. A group of Cubs is called a 'P ...
and for winter camping.[Purlee p.??]
On November 6, 1996, Andy Campbell, a ranger serving as the caretaker of the property was shot to death by Roger Caldwell, "a diagnosed, paranoid schizophrenic" who trespassed onto the property while drunk. This was the first such incident in the history of Scouting. Campbell was able to drag himself to call 911. After police arrived on the scene to get information about the drunk from Campbell, they found Caldwell wandering on Ind-62. Caldwell was sentenced to 70 years in prison, with parole possible after 31 years.
Legends
There are many legends surrounding the property. One involves stepping on a particular step on the McDonald Bridge at night. If stepped upon, a ghost
A ghost is the soul or spirit of a dead person or animal that is believed to be able to appear to the living. In ghostlore, descriptions of ghosts vary widely from an invisible presence to translucent or barely visible wispy shapes, to rea ...
will chase you down to kill you unless you race up the hill before it catches you. Another legend is that a cache of gold is somewhere near the old mill. The ghost of John Work reportedly haunts the remains of the mill. Sadly, these legends made the property a target for vandal
The Vandals were a Germanic people who first inhabited what is now southern Poland. They established Vandal kingdoms on the Iberian Peninsula, Mediterranean islands, and North Africa in the fifth century.
The Vandals migrated to the area betw ...
s and ghosthunters.[ The current renovators see ghost hunters as the biggest threats and attribute most of the ghost legends to "fictional campfire stories" of camping boy scouts and to the rise of popular paranormal television shows.]
There is also reportedly a silver
Silver is a chemical element with the Symbol (chemistry), symbol Ag (from the Latin ', derived from the Proto-Indo-European wikt:Reconstruction:Proto-Indo-European/h₂erǵ-, ''h₂erǵ'': "shiny" or "white") and atomic number 47. A soft, whi ...
mine known to the Indians here. Local Indians had Work mill their corn, and paid him in silver ore. When Work asked of the source of the ore, the Indians said they had a mine, but they would never tell any white where the mine was located. If such a mine exists, it has yet to be found. Gold
Gold is a chemical element with the symbol Au (from la, aurum) and atomic number 79. This makes it one of the higher atomic number elements that occur naturally. It is a bright, slightly orange-yellow, dense, soft, malleable, and ductile met ...
flakes have been found in the stream, enough to fill a vial.
Today
Today the property includes a cabin village, a swimming pool, and a dining hall built in 2000. The current dining hall replaced the one from the 1980s that once served as a steakhouse in Jeffersonville. Aside from Scouts, the Civil Air Patrol
Civil Air Patrol (CAP) is a congressionally chartered, federally supported non-profit corporation that serves as the official civilian auxiliary of the United States Air Force (USAF). CAP is a volunteer organization with an aviation-minded mem ...
has used the property for training. The House and the remains of the mill became part of the National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic v ...
in 2001.
The restoration of the house was budgeted to cost hundreds of thousands of dollars, and was deemed too expensive for the Lincoln Heritage Council
The Lincoln Heritage Council (LHC) is a local council of the Boy Scouts of America serving 64 counties in four states: Kentucky, Indiana, Illinois, and Tennessee.
History
The Lincoln Heritage Council is one of the oldest BSA local Councils servin ...
.[ In 2010, the site was added to the 10 Most Endangered List of ]Indiana Landmarks
Indiana Landmarks is America's largest private statewide historic preservation organization. Founded in 1960 as Historic Landmarks Foundation of Indiana by a volunteer group of civic and business leaders led by Indianapolis pharmaceutical execu ...
, due to the constant vandalism. Earlier in the year, Taylor Rose Historical Outfitters, a private company that specializes in the historical reenactment
Historical reenactment (or re-enactment) is an educational entertainment, educational or entertainment activity in which mainly amateur hobbyists and history enthusiasts dress in historic uniforms or costumes and follow a plan to recreate aspect ...
supplies, contracted with Lincoln Heritage Council to restore and preserve the John Work House, leasing the house for a $1 a year. However, the Work House was seen to have "improved prospects" and was not on the 2011 endangered list. The eventual plan is for the house to become an educational living history center as well as a workshop and storefront for the company's historically focused business operations. Future plans include classes, living history events and a research library, as well as building a mill similar to the one Work had built.
Gallery
File:Tunnel Mill 2011 Chapel.JPG, Old Boy Scout Chapel
File:Tunnel Mill 2011 Pioneer Cabins.JPG, Cabins by the cemetery
File:Tunnel Mill 2011 Tower Road.JPG, Road from bridge/cemetery to further inside camp
File:Tunnel Mill 2011 Order of the Arrow building.JPG, Order of the Arrow
The Order of the Arrow (OA) is the honor society of the Boy Scouts of America (BSA), composed of Scouts and Scouters who best exemplify the Scout Oath and Law in their daily lives as elected by their peers. The society was created by E. Urner G ...
lodge
File:Tunnel Mill 2011 Inside John Work House.JPG, Inside of the John Work House near beginning of restoration
File:Tunnel Mill 2011 John Work House entry.JPG, Entry to the house
File:Tunnel Mill 2011 Reenactment.JPG, American Civil War hypothetical battle near the house
Bibliography
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Footnotes
External links
Taylor Rose Historical Outfitters
Restorers of the John Work House
Tunnel Mill Organization
{{DEFAULTSORT:John Work House And Mill Site
Charlestown, Indiana
Grinding mills in Indiana
Houses on the National Register of Historic Places in Indiana
Grinding mills on the National Register of Historic Places in Indiana
Houses completed in 1811
Local council camps of the Boy Scouts of America
National Register of Historic Places in Clark County, Indiana
Geography of Clark County, Indiana
Buildings and structures in Clark County, Indiana
Summer camps in Indiana
Historic districts on the National Register of Historic Places in Indiana