Loose Leaf Notes

-The following first appeared in The Floyd Press on June 10, 2021.

Mill owners Adam and Marcie Morrison purchased the historic Epperly Mill in a 2016 fire and flood sale, but it wasn’t the sale that sealed the deal.  The previous owner’s son-in-law, Bill Eberhardt, offered to help with renovations that would transform the site into the Airbnb Lodging and Event Venue that it is today.  “We couldn’t have done it without him,” said Adam Morrison, a chef whose Two Trees Catering business takes him all over the country.

Previously owned by Charley Coleman of Presido Arts, The Mill suffered water damage from the flood of 2015 and damage from a small electrical fire on the same day. Considering that, along with the wear and over the years, a major renovation was in order, which the Morrisons took on with the help of Eberhardt, along with a variety of local skilled craftsmen who worked on the project.

“All of the structural integrity of the building was handled by Bill’s engineering,” Marcie Morrison said, commenting that his contribution included jacking up the building, leveling and laying floor, plumbing and more.  Adam noted that repairing the grounds’ rock wall that had long been washed out was another major structural restoration, one that brought back the historical character of the site.

Situated on an acre along Dodd Creek, Epperly Mill was built for grinding corn and wheat in 1901 by John Epperly, one of Floyd County’s most accomplished millwrights. It replaced another Mill on the property and was an upgrade at the time.

“This was a horizontal direct turbine mill, so it never had a wheel,” Marcie said. “The water would come under the building and through the turbine and would shoot out of it, and, because the building sat in the creek, it just flowed back into the creek,” she explained. She noted that when it was built there were over 360 Mills in the county. Today, Epperly Mill is one of eight Floyd mills left standing. Both she and Adam believe their restoration efforts will go a long way in preserving the Mill far into the future.

“We wanted to modernize while keeping the integrity of the original building,” Marcie said. The building houses a first-floor Listening Room and Hickory Stage for events. A large schematic replication of the turbine mill’s workings, taken from an old book that John Epperly may have used, hangs on one wall.

The second-floor Kimball Suite opens onto a hallway where the history of the Mill is displayed through photographs of John Epperly and his family. The Kimball Suite is named after the late Jeff Kimball, who came to Floyd from St. Augustine, Florida with Charley Coleman and did much of the early Mill renovation, including building large windows and the third-floor balcony that looks out onto Dodd Creek. “He added artistic touches,” Adam said, including bringing tin into the décor, which fits the rustic theme and inspired the Morrisons to use it throughout the building.

The Coleman Suite is named in honor of Bill Eberhard’s wife and Charley Coleman’s daughter Cyndi, who passed away in 2018. Like the Kimball Suite, it is fully equipped and includes a kitchenette. Some of Coleman’s handcrafted mosaic pieces and original mill parts are features of the suite. Both suites have great views onto the creek and can sleep up to eight people per suite.

The Morrisons and Eberhardt repurposed as much as they could in the renovation project, which included taking down a barn and incorporating the wood into building projects. Five trees were taken down, including a beautiful 42” cherry tree. A portion of the wood from that tree was traded for milling services and some was used by local woodworkers to make kitchen cabinets and furniture.  All the wood used in the renovation came from the property or was locally sourced, Adam said, including the hardwood floors which came from Turman Lumber. “Insulation and the HVAC system were our biggest expenses.”

Marcie, a licensed acupuncturist who sees clients four days a week at her Heavenly Mountain Acupuncture studio, did all the interior design, laid tile and made all the wood furniture, which includes tables, bed headboards, shelves, mirror and picture frames and lighting fixtures.  Marcie has worked with woodworkers in the past and got a lot of building help from Youtube. “It comes naturally to me. This is what I like to do. I like watching what wood turns into,” she said.

This May, the couple hosted their first music event at the Mill, a Grand Opening Show with Ray Wylie Hubbard headlining.  Adam Morrison, who is a musician singer/songwriter, and guitarist Sean Matuk were the opening act.

Because of the Pandemic, the Hubbard show was rescheduled twice and the May show sold out quickly at 200. Although the outside venue capacity is approximately 400, the Morrisons weren’t sure what the gathering guideline numbers would be, and they weren’t even sure the concert could happen. But the show was a well-received success.  Adam’s Two Trees food truck was on site to serve food, and beer and wine was sold as a fundraiser for The Floyd Center for the Arts.

Next up on the live music schedule is singer/songwriter Chris Knight, who will be performing on the lawn at the Mill on June 18 at 8 p.m. with Adam Morrison and Sean Matuk opening at 7 p.m. Ticket information and information on lodging can be found at epperlymill.com. __________Colleen Redman

Pictures -1. Adam and Marcie Morrison stand next to The Mill establishment sign. 2. The Kimball Suite. 3. Marcie Morrison shows off one of her handmade tables, crafted of wood from the property. 4. A headboard in the Kimball Suite master bedroom made by Marcie Morrison. 5. The Coleman Suite and some original mill parts are shown. The Coleman Suite incorporates some of Charley Coleman’s mosaic work. 6. The Coleman Suite kitchen. 7. Marcie and Adam Morrison sit on the deck that Jeff Kimball built which looks out onto Dodd Creek. 8. A view of the grounds that shows the restored rock wall. 9. Marcie explains the turbine mill workings from this schematic image. 10. A view of the Mill. Ray Hubbard Show.

Read about the The Mill’s Grand Opening Show with Ray Wyley Hubbard HERE.  _________Our World Tuesday