Kymulga Mill And Covered Bridge, Childersburg Alabama
The Kymulga Mill and Covered Bridge Complex is the only area in the state that contains, in close proximity, a grist mill and covered bridge on their original sites. Kymulga Bridge is one of three remaining 19th-century covered bridges in the state and the mill is unusual for its size, the ornateness of its trim, and its wooden mill dam. Talladega County officials are in the process of acquiring the bridge and a five-acre strand of large white oaks for use as a park, while the mill is being restored to working order by a private owner.
Typical of 19th Century Alabama mills in that it is of wooden construction, Kymulga Mill is noted for its large size, rising three and a half stories on the stream side, for its bracketed eaves (architectural embellishment was a rarity in mill construction in Alabama) and for having five runs of stones, the usual number being two or three at the most. The original wooden dam, also highly typical of the mid-19th Century, is one of the few remaining in the state.
Kymulga Bridge, which carried the Old Georgia Road over Talladega Creek, predates the construction of the mill by probably a few years at the most, but the exact date of construction is unknown. The Old Georgia Road was originally an Indian trading path that was enlarged after the land rush of the 1830's.
Construction on the mill was begun in 1864 by a Confederate Army Captain named Forney. G. E. Morris, a South Carolina millwright who had constructed at least two other mills in the area, was contracted to build the structure.
Of the three mills completed by Morris, only the Kymulga remains. When Forney died shortly after construction began, his wife directed the contractor to finish the mill and on its completion in 1867, she sold it to James Baker who operated it until 1935.
Under Baker, the operation was a sizable one, running five sets of stones from power provided by four turbines. Production schedules from 1879 to 1880 show that the mill produced 40,000 bushels of wheat; 46,800 bushels of other grain; 2,027,000 pounds of corn meal; and 726,000 pounds of feed. The total value of all products for that year was $72,450. Undoubtedly, Baker did a large portion of his milling for commercial establishments.
The mill continued in operation under various owners until the last miller, John I. Carter, sold it in 1973. Since that time, the mill has been sold again to L. E. Donahoo, who is restoring it to run as a weekend attraction in connection with the proposed county park.
Site Description
The complex consists of a five-acre tract which includes the mill, a dam, the covered bridge and a stand of white oak trees, which are among the largest and oldest in the state.
The Kymulga Bridge is a single-span structure with a town truss that rests on two, eight-foot piers of native stone. Measuring 10 feet in width, the bridge spans a distance of 105 feet and is of double beam stress, center anchor, with iron bracings. The timbers of the bridge are in fair condition, and the sides and roof have been covered with corrugated metal. When the bridge was closed to traffic in the mid-20th Century, the approaches were removed.
Located approximately 100 feet downstream (south) from the bridge, is the wooden mill dam which backs up a seven-foot head of water. The mill, which is constructed of heart pine, is located along the eastern side of the creek and rests on rock pilings. The 35-foot by 60-foot gable end structure is of beam and post construction covered with weatherboarding and is three-and-a-half stories in height on the stream side, having an enclosed floor above the water house. On the eastern side of the structure, a central, board door, flanked by a shuttered window on either side, gives access to the ground floor of the mill. Two windows for each of the remaining floors were originally double-hung, with 9/6 lights and are roughly aligned with the ground-floor windows. At the apex of the gable is a small circular window whose only function appears to be ornamentation. The eaves of the high-pitched gable roof are extended, finished with a fascia board, and supported by ornate wooden brackets. A small, one-story room with a gabled roof is located on the south wall of the mill. Three of the original four Leiffle turbines are still in place, as are three of the original five runs of stones. The diameters of the stones are 36 inches, 48 inches, and 52 inches, with the latter two being French Buhr. Most of the milling equipment has been returned to operating order.
Kymulga Bridge, view from east (1974)
Kymulga Grist Mill, view from southeast (1974)
