Comments on: The Southside Neighborhood General Mills

By: Karin O'Brien

Karin O'Brien — Tue, 23 Aug 2011 19:06:33 +0000

This would be a great building for a fine dining restaurant, something with dinner and dancing like the old days. I wish someone would buy it and restore it.

By: steve lapointe

steve lapointe — Mon, 13 Sep 2010 17:44:14 +0000

gosh,sad to see im the only one on this comment board=its sept 2010 and the city plans to demolish the old mill. its sad that such a true historic resourse cant be spared from the money making machine of the city’s commerce. part of the mill should be kept becaus eof its unique architecture and its connection to mr carter. lots of buildings sit abandoned in johnson city that the chamber could nest in and those wont survive either if they cant use them to generate revenue. the old mill belongs to all the community,its part of the early rr history of the area and farming. a wing of the mill could be used for a museum. there are so many people in johnson city who would donate things if they had a museum to give to. jonesborouh has barns of relics and nowhere to display them either.

By: s. lapointe

s. lapointe — Tue, 19 May 2009 22:13:54 +0000

forgive this last letter to those who might be concerned.the model mill may have many vintage things fixtures,tiles,brass and copper objects ,turn wheels,dials etc from the 1910 period. with preserving history in mind and to do justice to the grand old mill a good set of photos might be taken inside . so many unique things of the 1910 period could at least be saved on film perhaps for a future book? also could there be boxes of ‘discarded’ papers with alot of historic value?

By: STEVE LAPOINTE

STEVE LAPOINTE — Sun, 10 May 2009 19:38:12 +0000

ALL OR PART OF THE MILL MIGHT BE PRESERVED AND USED FOR A MUSEUM.JOHNSON CITY NEEDS A REAL MUSEUM THAT DISPLAYS EVERY SORT OF ARTIFACT AND NOT JUST ART OR MEDICAL STUFF. IMAGINE IN 1911.THE MODEL MILL WAS A HUB OF BUSINESS ACTIVITY AND PROBIBLY BUSIER THAN THE DOWNTOWN. THE NEWSPAPERS IN JOHNSON CITY WOULD HAVE LOTS OF DETAILS ABOUT THE MILL BUT IT WOULD BE JOB TO FIND THE ARTICLES. I HOPE THE COMMUNITY RALLYS TO CARFULLY STUDY ALL ASPECTS OF THE ISSUE PRIOR TO ANY HARM BEING DONE TO THE ORIGIONAL STRUCTURE.THIS ORIGIONAL STRUCTURE CAN BE SEEN IN PHOTOS OF THE MILL WHEN IT HAD 5 SILOS AND NOT 6,ONE WAS ADDED ABOUT 1917. A CLINCHFEILD MAP WITH THE ORIGIONAL STRUCTURE CAN BE FOUND AT THE ARCHIVE ROOM ON CAMPUS MAP BOX 408.

By: STEVE LAPOINTE

STEVE LAPOINTE — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 22:33:39 +0000

I RECENTLY SAW THE SIGN IN FRONT OF THE OLD MILL ON WALNUT STREET. I CALLED THE CHAMBER AND THEY SAID THE MILL WOULD BE RAZED THIS SUMMER OF 2009.THEN I ASKED IF PERSONS COULD GO IN AND TAKE PHOTOS.THEY SAID THE JOHNSON CITY PRESS DID A WALK THRU AND MADE VIDEOS. THE ELCTRIC IS OFF AND THEY DONT WANT PEOPLE IN THERE IN THE DARK…..,YET.IN MY OPINION THAT MILL IS THE ONLY BIT OF UNIQUE ARCHITECTURE IN JOHNSON CITY. THE DATE ON IT IS 1919 AND THAT ALONE SHOULD GIVE IT PROTECTION FROM THE STATE HISTORICAL COMMISSION FROM BEING TORN DOWN. LAND IS EXPENSIVE IN DOWNTOWN AND NOT MUCH IS THERE TO USE BUT THE DOZENS OF TRASHY LITTLE SHOPS ALONG WALNUT WILL ALSO SOMEDAY BE GONE AS LAND BECOMES MORE VALUABLE AND THE MILL IS THE ONLY STRUCTURE WITH REAL HISTORICAL VALUE ALONG WALNUT. I THINK THE CHAMBER SHOULD BE UNDER STATE PRESERVATION GUIDELINES AND PRESERVE RARE AND UNIQUE STRUCTURES.SO MANY NICE BUILDINGS HAVE BEEN RAZED IN JOHNSON CITY AND FOR WHAT?? ANOTHER FAST FOOD? ISNT ANYONE GOING TO START DOING ARCHEOLOGICAL SURVEYS AT CONSTRUCTION SIGHTS? ALSO SOME OF THE EQUIPMENT IN GENERAL MILL SHOULD BE PRESERVED IN MUSEUMS AND NOT TRASHED FOR SCRAP.DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? THANKS