The Old Mill is a staple in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. In the early 1800s, it was an active gristmill, powered by water, that was a mainstay in the community. Flour and food were produced at the mill, along with electricity up until 1935. The mill is made up of flint granite stones, French Buhrs, belts, pulleys, and a giant water wheel. And although it doesn’t serve all of the same purposes today, the 4600-pound stones and grain elevators still work, converting grain into about 1,000 pounds of product 6 days a week! The grain is bagged by hand and used in a lot of the recipes at The Old Mill Restaurant, including homemade cornbread, pancakes, grits, muffins, hush puppies, and biscuits. Visitors can see The Old Mill in action, but there are a lot of other great things to check out while in The Old Mill Square.
The Old Mill Square sits on the little Pigeon River, just off the busy Parkway in Pigeon Forge. Especially on warm, sunny days, it’s a great place to spend the afternoon. During cooler weather, pick up some syrup, pancake mix, or their Signature Corn Chowder to enjoy back at the cozy cabin. Along with the mill, you’ll find The Old Mill Restaurant, The Old Mill Pottery House Cafe & Grille, The Old Mill General Store, The Old Mill Creamery, The Old Mill Candy Kitchen, The Old Mill Pigeon River Pottery, Sassafras, and The Old Mill Farmhouse Kitchen. All offer unique gifts, candy, or treats that you can enjoy while you’re visiting or take home as gifts. At The Old Mill Restaurant, try favorites like grits, pancakes, chicken and dumplings, country-fried steak, pot roast and gravy, sugar-cured ham, chicken potpie, and chowder. At The Pottery House Cafe and Grille, get a burger, salad, sandwich, soup, and a scratch-made piece of cake or pie.
The Old Mill General Store
Nostalgia abounds in this charming store that brings in more than a million visitors each year. Find fresh-ground grains from the mill, flour, pancake and biscuit mix, jams, jellies, dip mixes, Smoky Mountain gifts, and more!
The Old Mill Farmhouse Kitchen
If you want to make your own meals in your cabin’s full kitchen, be sure to stop by the Farmhouse Kitchen for salad dressings, bread mixes, syrup, jams and jellies, fresh-baked breads, bakeware, and even specialized gift baskets!
The Old Mill Pigeon River Pottery
Pick up hand-thrown pottery in the form of bowls, salt and pepper shakers, plates, vases, serving dishes, and more at this lovely little shop selling one-of-a-kind pieces.
The Old Mill Creamery
Ice cream always makes the day better! At The Old Mill Creamery, choose from a variety of unique flavors, including some new ones – Biscuits ‘n Honey, Oat Mill Cream Pie, Gristmill Toffee Grind, Salted Caramel Candy, and Whiskey Ribbon.
The Old Mill Candy Kitchen
Satisfy a sweet tooth with taffy made on 75-year-old machines at this traditional sweet shop. They hand-dip many of their chocolates and cook in old fashion copper kettles, offering lots of delicious treats. Try fudge, chocolate-covered cherries, brittle, Bear Paws, pecans, and caramel apples, just to name a few.
Sassafras
The newest Old Mill store, Sassafras features a huge selection of colors and styles in accessories for all ages. Shop for jewelry, clothing, purses, hats, scarves, bags, and beyond.
Beyond the stores, The Old Mill features some lovely places to walk around outside, sit and relax, and spend a few hours. Get out of the cabin for a bit to enjoy a delicious Southern meal, let the kids pick out some candy, browse the shops, and pick up some great gifts to take home.
After a day at The Old Mill, be sure to check out the other fun along the Parkway. There are dozens of fun attractions, from miniature golf courses, laser tag arenas, and arcades to favorites like the Hollywood Wax Museum, the Titanic Museum Attraction, and Dixie Stampede. Do some shopping at the Tanger Outlets, and then head back to your cabin to soak in the hot tub, enjoy mountain views with a cup of coffee, or just kick back in front of the fireplace and watch TV.
