Clay County Historic Landmark - Excelsior, MO - Missouri Historical Markers on Waymarking.com

This historical plaque is located outside the Watkins Mill State Park Museum and reads:

Clay County Historical Society, Historic Landmark
Watkins Mill

This farm, established by Walthus L. Watkins, centered around his woolen factory built 1860-61. It operated for 40 years with mass production machines. This farm (Bethany) also boasted a grist mill, flour mill and saw mill, church and octagonal school house.

Bicentennial 1976



Waltus Watkins, a farmer and businessman built the woolen mill in 1860 and produced a dozen different fabrics, a variety of blankets, yarn, and batting. He also built a gristmill and sawmill, planted a sizeable orchard, and raised shorthorn cattle, sheep, horses, and hogs. His bee hives still stand behind the house; the family sold honey, made their own butter and cheese, canned and dried the fruit and vegetables that they raised, and cured meat. Flour and cornmeal was produced in the gristmill and sold in stores. The woolen mill was finally closed in the late 1890’s, but the family continued to farm the land until 1945. The woolen mill remains just has it did during operation. Inside a display of bowls of raw wool, a lathe, wood turning tools, and other artifacts from that time period is on display for visitors.

The property became a state historic site in 1964, was put on the National Register of Historic Places in 1966, and is now operated by the Missouri DNR as part of the state park.

The museum displays tell more about the Watkins’ farm and their industry and has an automated loom operating in the back of the room. A variety of primitive tools, a two seat horse-drawn carriage, grindstone, hand plow, and other implements were also on exhibit.

Web link: [Web Link] History of Mark: The marker was placed here to celebrate the DAR Bicentennial project and the listing of the Mill as a Clay County Historical Site. Additional point: Not Listed

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Date Logged Log User Rating   10/23/2018 MountainWoods visited it