INDUSTRY · HISTORICAL MARKER
Shanks Mill
Industry
1
Across Dunkard Creek from Mason-Dixon Historical Park and Ripley Run Road, a grist and sawmill stood for 106 years as a center of community activity and commerce. Michael Core settled at the future mill site in 1772, where a solid stone creek bottom created a fording place long known as Widow Core's Ford. After Michael Core died in 1815, his son-in-law Abraham Brown acquired the property and built a flour mill. In 1863, Abraham's son John Brown sold it to Daniel Tennant, who expanded operations. Tennant sold it to Isaac Core in 1868, and Isaac operated it as Core's Mill before selling to Benjamin Core in 1871. Benjamin Core employed Leonard Shanks, and in 1884 Benjamin and Edgar W. Core sold the property to Shanks. Shanks operated the mill for 37 years, from 1884 to 1921, and it was the last mill in the area before being dismantled. In 1920, A.B. Price and Shanks each held an undivided one-half interest in the acreage, and after a survey by G.F. Headley the mill site fell on Price's half. Price's daughter Victoria Price Randolph inherited that half in 1934 and sold it in December 1934 to William E. and Ona Pyles Lemley. Sometime after the 1960s, the massive millstones were moved from the creek bank to an adjacent field. In 1982, the heirs of Roy S. Lemley inherited the property and millstones, and after Cam Lemley asked for their donation, the millstones were placed at Mason-Dixon Historical Park in 1996. The mill property was later sold to the Webber family. Today, one timber of the dam still remains in the creek bottom.
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