Weisenberger Mill

Kentucky had a mill with a mailing address of Midway, Kentucky. It is named Weisenberger Mill. It was founded in 1913. We had heard of this place before and tried to visit it. When we got there before it was closed. Yesterday I suggested to Claude we should try going there again today. He thought that was a good idea.

This morning I called the Mill to be sure it would be open. They said they would be there until noon. Claude and I got ready and headed out as quickly as we could. We thought we knew where we were going since we had been there before.

I took my Ensign and was reading while Claude drove. I would look up every now and then to see the countryside. Fortunately I do not suffer from car sickness and can do that. Claude made our way down Hwy 25 and turned right on Spurr Road. He questioned if that was the right way. He was looking for Hwy 421. I told him some of the roads that I knew of that would take him from Spurr Road south to Hwy 421. He took none of them. We drove to where Spurr Road dead ends on another country road with a number I can't remember. We both agreed he should turn left. He did that and eventually ran into where Hwy 62 and Hwy 421 run together for a while. He turned toward Midway when the highway got near I-64. We felt good about that. Somehow we both remembered Versailles, Kentucky as a part of our previous drive to Weisenberger Mill. We got to Versailles and saw not one sign for the Mill. Doubts set in as to our going to right way at this point.

By this time I had my new cell phone out trying all the map and direction possibilities that come with this new phone. Everything I found said we should be going back the way we came. This was just not computing in our heads. We determined to retrace our steps after I finally found a map that made the most sense to me.

Now, if we had just gone through Georgetown, taken Payne's Depot Rd from there to where it turns right and runs with Hwy 421, then made a right turn on 421 and a quick left on to Weisenberger Mill Road we would have been just fine. We had a lovely drive in beautiful Kentucky horse country but we were definitely going the wrong way.

Knowing were we needed to be with this new map, we headed for our intersection. We found the intersection and Claude kept driving and passed Adams Road. I found it as I scrolled around on the cell phone. Then he passed Brown's Lane and I found it. Uh-Oh!! We were headed to Lexington and we had somehow passed Weisenberger Road. We neither saw any signs for the Mill or the road with the name Weisenberger.

Claude found a spot to turn around and back we headed on Hwy 421. I carefully watched our map and ticked off Brown's Lane, Adams Road, Hwy 62 and then told Claude to take the very next left turn he found. Sure enough we found the tiny road with no signage at all. We followed the little road a short way and there was the mill. Geez!! At least now we will not ever make that mistake again because I believe there will be other trips to this gem of a destination.

We both expected to find a little store front that you could shop in as a part of the Mill. Not so. There was a tiny office (my downstairs bathroom is bigger than this office). It has one little plastic shelf along a wall with the door into the Mill and store area. That shelf has some of the mixes on it they produce at the Mill.

We let the lady behind us, who knew what she was there for, order before us. There was one man in the little office and he took and order and then went to the back to get them to bring the order to the loading dock of the Mill.

Claude and I wanted to see if they had whole wheat we could add to our storage. Their shelf showed a place for honey but none on that shelf. We asked the man if they had whole wheat we could purchase. They did. We got two 50 lb. bags for $15 each. Yippee!!  We also had him show us the honey. There was not such a great price for the honey. It was $10 a pint. We purchased both the pints he brought out for his shelf. We also got some yellow grits (interesting) and a few mixes for spoon bread and for scones. It felt great to put this stuff in our car for our use and storage.

As we got ready to get in the Jeep, I noticed under the Mill office area where the concrete footings were for the foundation an opening through which I could see water splashing down from something. Hmmm...that piqued my curiosity. I had a camera and it needed to get a picture of this.

We paused long enough to call the Carter family and see if they wanted to join us in Frankfort for lunch. They did. Then we headed to get some pictures before driving to Frankfort.

There is a stream running beside the mill. There is a dam in the stream. At one point there must have been a water wheel there because we found the spot where one could have been set up. There is an old bridge over the stream. Claude was fascinated with it. He sits on a board that reviews and prioritizes projects to be completed in the Bluegrass Area. This bridge is one that has had much discussion. It needs to be replaced but when and should it. Judging by the number of times I had to move to get out of the way of traffic while I was trying to take pictures, I think the public needs access to that highway over that stream. My pictures are of Weisenberger Mill, the dam and stream and the old bridge.

Now, what I should really do is go back and replicate these pictures in the spring or summer when the flowers are on the trees or when all the green of Kentucky is on the trees. That would be a fun contrast.

We enjoyed lunch at Zaxby's with the Carter family. Then we stopped at the fabric store for another potential project for Sandi to make for another board Claude sits on, then a stop a in Georgetown at Dairy Queen for dessert and back to our home in Sadieville. Great day for a good outing.