Down by the Old Mill Stream



An 18’ water wheel adorns the outside of the Bob’s Red Mill Visitors’ Center in Milwaukie, Ore. While its function is largely decorative, there was a time when these wheels dotted the countryside of rural America. For centuries, it was the force of water that turned these wheels, that engaged the gears, that revolved the millstones, that ground the grain, that fed the farmers and their families. Wherever there was agriculture, there were mills and the Pacific Northwest was no exception. The first grist mill was built at Ft. Vancouver in 1828 and was soon joined by many more up and down the Willamette Valley. Not only were they an important part of the food-chain, mills often became the community social center. Neighbors would gather to gossip and exchange news while the miller ground their grain. Today, grist mills have disappeared from the landscape, but a few survivors in the area remind us of this important part of farming history.

Butte Creek Mill and Store

Claiming to be the last original, operating, water-powered, grist mill west of the Mississippi, the Butte Creek Mill, is located in Eagle Point, about 12 miles east of Medford. The three-story building on the banks of Little Butte Creek dates to 1872 and was one of the first flour mills in the Rogue River Valley. Its 1400 lb. millstones were quarried in France, milled in Illinois, carried by ship around Cape Horn to Crescent City, California, and hauled by wagon train over the Siskiyou Mountains to the mill. Today, visitors can watch the miller at work and observe the hand hewn timbers and old machinery. Also in the building is a homey country store selling freshly ground grains, cereals, and pancake mixes. 

Thompson's Mills State Heritage Site

Oregon’s oldest surviving flour mill was recently saved from dilapidation by the State of Oregon Parks and Recreation Department. Dating back to 1856, Thompson’s Mills, once known as Boston Mill, was purchased in 2007, renovated, and developed into a living history museum describing Willamette Valley agriculture in the 19^th century. Inside the five-story mill, you'll find antique machinery, hand-hewn beams, and interpretive exhibits. The mill is the only one remaining of seven mills along the Calapooia River in Linn County.

Cedar Creek Grist Mill

North of Portland and east of Woodland, Washington, is the Cedar Creek Grist Mill. Tucked away in an idyllic, forested gorge, it remains the only grain-grinding mill in Washington that has maintained its original structural integrity and still uses water power and millstones. Built in 1876, the mill was used for years by families throughout north Clark County, but by the turn of the century it had transitioned to a machine shop and gradually fell into decline. Fortunately, a group of dedicated volunteers rescued and restored the old mill and today it serves as a working museum. On weekends, visitors are invited inside to admire the intricate system of pulleys, gears, and belts, and observe the milling process. In fact, if you bring your own grain, they will grind it for you. At the mill site is one of the few covered bridges in Washington.

Bob's Red Mill

By the early 1900s, most of these labor-intensive mills and their grain-grinding stones were replaced by electric power and high-speed steel rollers. Farmers no longer grew their own grain, and a preference developed for white flour and store-bought bread.  Stone milling became increasingly rare. Today, however, there is a renewed appreciation for this old-time process, and many believe the highest quality flours are made by the slow, cool grinding of stones. Grains are crushed without generating excess heat, thus preserving the nutritional value and flavor of the flour.

Bob’s Red Mill is one of the few commercial mills still using this traditional milling process. While electricity has replaced water-power, the grains are still ground by 19^th century, French quartz millstones acquired from old mills. The Visitors Center, designed to be a replica of the original mill in Oregon City, includes an outlet store, an enormous selection of bulk grains, bakery, deli, cooking classes, and milling display.

Steve is the official tour guide at the Thompson's Mill

Walking the Trails at Cape Perpetua

View at Cape Perpetua

On one of those endless searches for a Northwest Passage, British Captain James Cook, cruising along what is now Oregon’s Central Coast, spotted a large, towering headland.  It was March 7, 1778, and he named this landmark Cape Perpetua, in honor of St. Perptua’s Day.  On that same date in 203, this Christian martyr was thrown into an arena in Carthage, North Africa; mauled by a mad cow; and beheaded.  Not a good day for her. Captain Cook didn’t fare much better. Not only did he fail to find the elusive water route across North America, but later in the voyage he was stabbed to death by angry Hawaiian natives, abruptly ending his exploration career.

Today’s visitor, on the other hand, will have great success exploring Cape Perpetua. Begin at the Visitor Center, two miles south of Yachats on Highway 101, where movies and exhibits interpret the natural and cultural history of the area. From here, 26 miles of hiking trails fan out in all directions and offer an excellent cross-section of coastal scenery and flora. 

Rocky beach and tidepools on Capt. Cook Trail

  The Captain Cook Trail to the tide pools is certainly a must. Shortly beyond the Visitor Center, the trail passes by the foundations of the Cape Creek Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) Camp. One of many such camps established during the Depression, Cape Creek offered unemployed young men job opportunities and $30 a month. At one point, there were 4 bunkhouses, mess hall, rec room, infirmary, and 200 men. These camp residents constructed many of the local trails, bridges, campgrounds and roads, including the one to the summit of Cape Perpetua. The trail continues through a tunnel under the highway to the tide pools and Spouting Horn. In addition to searching for sea stars, purple sea urchins, hermit crabs, and green anemones in this rocky tidal zone, look for Indian shell middens. Middens are ancient landfills and garbage heaps; a place where mussel-gathering natives threw their empty shells as long as 6000 years ago. North of here is the Devil’s Churn offering a close-up view of the power of the ocean. During storms and rough seas, waves smash through a narrow chasm in the volcanic rock creating huge plumes of sea water and foam.

Devil"s Churn

    The Giant Spruce Trail is an easy, one mile walk paralleling Cape Creek to a 500 year-old Sitka spruce. The nearly fifteen foot thick tree began life as a sprout on a fallen log. Over time, this nurse log rotted away leaving a large gaping hole at the tree’s base.

West Shelter

Cape Perpetua is the highest viewpoint accessible by car on the Oregon Coast and offers a stunning view on clear days. The St. Perpetua Trail to the overlook climbs 700 feet uphill from the Visitor Center by way of eleven switchbacks. The easier option is to drive to the summit on Forest Service Roads 55 and 5553, on the east side of Highway 101. From the overlook parking lot, the Whispering Spruce Trail makes an easy quarter mile loop around the top and includes the West Shelter. Built by the CCC in the summer of 1933, this historic stone lookout provides views of 150 miles of coastland from Cape Foulweather to Cape Blanco and 20 miles out to sea on a clear day. It was used by the Army during World War II to search for unfriendly ships and planes. Today, it is better used as a lookout for migrating whales.
For the more adventuresome, the Cook’s Ridge and Gwynn Creek Trails make a 6.5-mile loop from the Visitor Center through old-growth forests of Douglas fir and Sitka Spruce.

The Cape Perpetua Visitor Center is open seven days a week from10:00 am to 5:30 pm. Ranger guided walks (Eco Treks) are offered on Tuesdays at 1:00pm in the month of August.