Gibson's Mill

The mill and house of John Gibson once stood in the valley in front of you along Wilson Creek. On August 9, 1861, the day before the battle the Gibson family and their neighbors found themselves surrounded by more than 12,000 Confederate soldiers whose camps extended two miles south along the creek.<br><br>The Gibsons made their living by grinding corn and oats into flour, and by carding wool. When the cannon began to roar on the morning of August 10, they took refuge in their cellar. Today the house and mill are gone, but foundation ruins are visible.<br><br>The 1-mile loop trail beginning here leads to the sites of the mill and house. Down along the creek you may also see remnants of the millrace, a narrow earthen canal that carried water to turn the mill's water wheel.