BRIDGETON, Ind. (WTWO/WAWV) – The Bridgeton Mill is gearing up to celebrate its 200-year anniversary this summer.
Bridgeton Mill Owner Mike Roe said the original plan wasn’t to host a celebration. However, that changed due to plenty of community interest.
He explained that he’s unsure of what exactly the celebration will look like, but he did confirm that it will take place on July 4th.
Dozens of community members have reached out to help volunteer with any of the preparations. Roe said that it’s special to see so many people showing support for the mill.
“This has become like the highlight of the county,” Roe explained. “If you go to Paris you expect to see the Eiffel Tower. So, this is like kind of become the Eiffel Tower of Parke County.”
The 200-year-old building has plenty of history.
Roe explained that it was founded by settlers coming in. The covered bridge beside it came a few decades after it. A main reason for the bridge was to give customers a way to cross the creek in order to get to the mill.
Mills were normally the epicenter of towns. They were normally the site of the local post office and town meetings were often held there.
Roe explained that what’s unique about this about this mill is that both the mill and the town are still here today.
“Tens of thousands of little towns started around a mill,” Roe explained. “This one is very unique because the town is still here, and the mill is still here.”
The Bridgeton Mill will be back open for business on April 1st.