Harper's Mill History

Harper's Mill dates back to 1761 when Abraham Irvin "took up" land along Little Falling River and Entry Creek and was granted a permit to build a gristmill on Little Falling River. Irvin died in the Revolutionary war in 1777 and his land holdings passed into the hands of Joshua Morris and then to Paulett Clark in 1801. Clark sold same to Reverend James Hurt in 1816. In 1870 William T Harper bought the Entry Creek portion of the tract from Tompkins Hurt, son of the Reverend James Hurt. Tradition says that early in its existence the first mill on Little Falling River washed away and after repeated efforts to keep a mill seated on this swiftly moving stream, it was moved to Entry Creek where it remains today. High water destroyed the mill structure in 1901 after which the present mill was built as a replacement and the original machinery, salvaged from the stream and wreckage, was reinstalled in the new building. Another flood in 1945 damaged the mill dam which necessitated extensive repairs.

A new water wheel has been constructed and installed, and the old mill stones again grind flour and cornmeal. Luther and Lula Harper began construction of the house around 1918. One room and loft was built and later a three bedroom house was added and later a bathroom. The house had an addition of a kitchen laundry room and the one bath was replaced with 5 new baths around the turn of the 21st century. In 2010 the house was resided using Hardee plank from the Pulaski plant.