Hays Creek Mill
Also known as: McClung's Mill; Patterson's Mill; Steele's Mill; VDHR File No.
Why it's listed
Hays Creek Mill is a two-and-a-half-story flour mill near Brownsburg in Rockbridge County, Virginia. Built about 1819 entirely of tulip poplar on a raised limestone basement, it was enlarged to the east in the late nineteenth century and has changed little since. An iron overshot wheel fifteen feet across and an iron race were added in the twentieth century. Inside, octagonal support columns with chamfered stops and adjustable shims were designed to carry heavy machinery. The property also includes a mid-nineteenth-century miller's house, a barn and a garage that began as a corncrib. The mill ground grain for the lower part of the county into the mid-twentieth century, running until 1957 as a grist, saw and fulling mill. Census records show it was among the county's larger mills in 1820 and again in 1870. It is recognized as a well-preserved example of rural Rockbridge County industrial construction in stone and timber.
Significance in brief: The mill is presented as a surviving example of the many mills that once served Rockbridge County, and it is significant in architecture and industry. It is a typical case of the stone and timber construction used in the county's rural industrial buildings. It has high integrity, having changed little since an enlargement in the 1870s, and has distinctive octagonal support columns. It operated until 1957.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 95000973, listed August 4, 1995. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | VA 724, 0.1 mi. N of jct. with VA 726, Brownsburg |
|---|---|
| County | Rockbridge County |
| Listed | August 4, 1995 |
| Reference number | 95000973 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | ca. 1819-1920 |
| Architect / builder | unknown |
| Architectural style | Early Republic: Federal |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Industry |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | The building is now used as a woodworking shop and storage facility, and most of the original milling equipment was removed in the twentieth century. |
| Acreage | 4.3 |
| Coordinates | 37.93557, -79.34374 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For an income-producing building, listing (individually or as a contributing building in a district) is the gateway to the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit on qualified rehabilitation costs, often stackable with state credits. Work claiming the credit must follow the Secretary of the Interior's Standards and be approved in advance.
Listing does not restrict a private owner acting without federal money or permits; where federal funding or licensing is involved, Section 106 review applies.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 95000973.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q15223399
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.