Bollinger Mill State Historic Site facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Bollinger Mill State Historic Site |
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 Bollinger Mill State Historic Site
Location in Missouri
Bollinger Mill State Historic Site
Location in the United States
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| Location | Burfordville, Cape Girardeau, Missouri, United States |
| Area | 43.85 acres (17.75 ha) |
| Established | 1967 |
| Governing body | Missouri Department of Natural Resources |
| Website | Bollinger Mill State Historic Site |
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Burfordville Covered Bridge
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| Built | 1858–1868 |
| Built by | Joseph Lansmon |
| NRHP reference No. | 70000325 |
| Added to NRHP | May 19, 1970 |
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Burfordville Mill
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| Built | 1825; 1867 |
| NRHP reference No. | 71000463 |
| Added to NRHP | May 27, 1971 |
The Bollinger Mill State Historic Site is a cool place in Burfordville, Missouri. It protects an old mill and a covered bridge that were built before the American Civil War. This special park started in 1967. Today, you can take tours of the mill and have picnics there. The Missouri Department of Natural Resources takes care of the site. The park also includes the Burfordville Covered Bridge, which is a famous landmark listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Contents
History of Bollinger Mill and Bridge
The Mill's Story: From Logs to Brick
In 1797, a man named George Frederick Bollinger got special permission from the Spanish government to own land. He moved with other families from North Carolina to what is now Burfordville, Missouri. Around 1800, Bollinger started building a dam made of logs and a mill on the Whitewater River.
In 1825, Bollinger rebuilt the mill and dam using strong stone called limestone. After he passed away in 1842, his daughter and her sons kept the mill running. But during the Civil War, soldiers burned the mill down. They did this to stop food like flour from reaching the other side.
After the war, Solomon R. Burford bought the mill site. He finished building the current four-story brick mill in 1867. It stands on the same limestone foundation as the 1825 building. Burford owned the mill until 1897. Then, the Cape County Milling Company took over and ran it until 1953. The mill was later sold to the Vandivort family, who were relatives of George Bollinger.
The mill was given to the Cape Girardeau County Historical Society in 1961. Then, in 1967, it was given to the State of Missouri to become a state park. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1971, recognizing its importance.
The Covered Bridge: A Historic Crossing
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Work on a bridge over the Whitewater River began in 1858. But it was delayed for several years because of the Civil War. In 1868, around the same time Bollinger finished his mill, the town of Burfordville was created. The bridge was also completed that year. This makes the Burfordville bridge the oldest of the four remaining covered bridges in Missouri.
Joseph Lansmon, a builder from Cape Girardeau, built the bridge. It was part of a toll road, which was a road where you had to pay to use it. The bridge is 140 feet (43 m) long and 12 feet (3.7 m) wide. It has a clearance of 14 feet (4.3 m), meaning tall vehicles could pass through. It uses a special design called a Howe truss and is made from local yellow poplar wood. The bridge originally had a small building called a toll house on its east end, where people paid tolls until 1906.
Around 1900, the bridge started to fall apart. Some of its side panels were missing, and part of the roof had collapsed. The county spent $390 to fix it in 1908. It was repaired again in 1950 when a metal roof was added. In 1967, the same year the mill became a state park, the Missouri State Park system started taking care of the state's four remaining covered bridges. The bridge was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1970. A year later, the park service restored it, replacing the metal roof with wooden shingles.
In 1986, the Whitewater River flooded to record levels. The water was 17 inches (43 cm) above the bridge's deck. This damaged the bridge, and it had to be closed to both cars and people. The bridge stayed closed until 1998. After repairs to its lower parts and support beams, it was reopened for people to walk across.
Things to Do and See
The mill is open all year for guided tours. Sometimes, when the river has enough water, they show how the original milling equipment works. The first floor of the mill also has exhibits that explain how the milling process changed over many years.
The mill hosts special events throughout the year. These include folk music concerts and displays of old farming equipment. The covered bridge is open all year for people to walk across and enjoy.
