Prater’s Mill is a restored working gristmill built by Benjamin Franklin Prater circa 1855 on land the Cherokee called “Fish Trap Shoals.” Constructed of hand-hewn timbers with mortised and pegged joints, it stood at the center of land the Prater family owned and farmed for cotton, wheat, and corn. Although no battles took place there, both Northern and Southern soldiers camped on the land during the Civil War. By 1879, Whitfield County had at least thirty-two gristmills, and by the turn of the century Prater’s Mill had become one of the larger mill complexes, including a cotton gin, saw mill, syrup mill, general store, blacksmith shop, five houses, and a community of 40 people. Farmers from the surrounding area came there for its many services. The mill remained in the Prater family until the 1950s, then changed hands twice before falling into disrepair. In 1971, the Prater’s Mill Foundation began managing the site and carried out an extensive restoration of the original gristmill. The mill and other buildings now open annually to the public during the Prater’s Mill County Fair.

Photo: Leah Tibbs

Photo: Tom Bosse

Photo: Tom Bosse

Photo: Tom Bosse

Photo: Tom Bosse

Photo: Tom Bosse