This year marks the 100th anniversary of Route 66, an iconic road, to be sure. While Route 66 shines, let’s not forget what we might find off Highway 60, which is a well-traveled national highway that covers 2,655 miles — from Brenda, Arizona, to Virginia Beach, Virginia. Here’s an interesting note: Route 66 was almost named Route 60. I love driving on Highway 60, with its many small towns and associated attractions, Mom ‘n Pop stores and lovely scenery in the Ozarks. However, one trip that you could take would allow you to go milling around (and slightly off of) Highway 60. It would include five mills — from Cape Girardeau to Pierce City (near Joplin). Plan for a few days to make this trip, and be sure to stop to see other sites, take hikes, fish or canoe along the way.
Milling Around Route 60
Bollinger Mill, Cape Girardeau
Start on the east side of the state near Cape Girardeau, at Bollinger Mill. Featured as the image on the state bicentennial postage stamp in 2021, the site also includes one of the four remaining covered bridges in the state — the Burfordville Mill. It also contains graffiti, mostly initials by former millers, scribbled on its walls. That’s something you don’t see at most mills.
Klepzig Mill, Shannon County
As part of the Ozark National Scenic Riverways, and off the Ozark Trail, Klepzig Mill is possibly one of the most remote mills in the nation. There is parking nearby, though, if you don’t fancy an all-day hike to get there. I call this mill the “little wildling.” It’s near shut-ins on Rocky Creek, and water rushes by. It’ll make you appreciate what Walter Klepzig did to make it work, when he provided a sawmill, corn mill and some electricity to the surrounding area. It’s one of the youngest mills in the state, and comes with a tragedy that it never quite recuperated from.
Alley Mill, Shannon County
Alley Mill, which is fed by Alley Spring, is also part of the Ozark National Scenic Riverways. It is the most photographed mill in the nation, according to a park ranger that I spoke to a few years ago. And rightfully so, with its cherry red exterior and wild rushing spring water. Inside, you’ll find a well-tended museum that will explain how things operated back in the day. Outside, you’ll find a schoolhouse and a general store on pristine grounds.
Topaz Mill
Venture west toward Douglas County and head south a little to find Topaz Mill, a privately owned mill by a family who welcomes visitors. Meet the miller of Topaz, Joe Bob O’Neal, and his lovely wife, Betsy. Find out more about how a grist mill works, because it has everything and more inside and Joe Bob is happy to give you a tour. There’s a general store, with a post office set-up, next door, too.
Jolly Mill, Pierce City
On location in Jolly Mill Park, this old mill began life in the 1830s as a distillery. The Jolly Mill sits in a lovely setting on Capps Creek. This is a good place to end your tour of mills that stretch from the east to the west in Missouri. Take time to stroll around the park, see the old one-room schoolhouse called the Chapman School and maybe even take time to fish.
If you’d like to find out more details about these mills and others, check out my book, “Milling Around: Exploring 26 Mills in the Missouri Ozarks,” an Amazon best seller. The book contains photos, maps, GPS coordinates and suggestions of what you can do in each area.
