People gathered near a waterfall with a stone building - historic mills

Self-guided · County in Illinois

Historic Mills in Union County, IL

Gristmills, sawmills and textile mills near you, many on the creeks that gave the towns their start.

Union County is one of 102 counties in Illinois. Some of these sites are open to visitors, some are private, and some are ruins. All of them are on the record, and all of them can be seen from the public way.

Old wooden mill with water wheel by rocky stream - historic mills — Photo: Chandler Cruttenden on Unsplash

A water mill with a waterfall in the background - historic mills — Photo: Dave Hoefler on Unsplash

Old gristmill by a waterfall in autumn - historic mills — Photo: Chandler Cruttenden on Unsplash

On the record near Union County, IL

The 12 nearest

31 listed sites on the record match historic mills within 200 miles of Union County, IL, out of 83 listed sites of every kind within 25 miles. 5 listed sites carry Union County as their county.

Burfordville Mill32 miles from the center of Union County · Building · Burfordville · listed 1971National Register of Historic Places
Old Morrison Mill76 miles from the center of Union County · Building · Burnt Prairie · listed 1984National Register of Historic Places
Pyeatt’s Mill Iron Bridge113 miles from the center of Union County · Structure · Hatfield · listed 2022National Register of Historic Places
Three States Lumber Company Mill Powerhouse121 miles from the center of Union County · Building · Burdette · listed 2001National Register of Historic Places
Alley Spring Roller Mill123 miles from the center of Union County · Building · Eminence · listed 1981National Register of Historic Places
Greer Mill125 miles from the center of Union County · Building · Alton · listed 2006National Register of Historic Places
Thompson Mill Covered Bridge126 miles from the center of Union County · Structure · Cowden · listed 1975National Register of Historic Places
Enochs Mill129 miles from the center of Union County · Building · McEwen · listed 1999National Register of Historic Places
Old Mill at Montauk State Park134 miles from the center of Union County · Building · Salem · listed 1985National Register of Historic Places
Cannelton Cotton Mills140 miles from the center of Union County · Building · Cannelton · listed 1975National Register of Historic Places
Huffman Mill Covered Bridge141 miles from the center of Union County · Structure · Fulda · listed 1998National Register of Historic Places
Newsom's Mill157 miles from the center of Union County · Structure · Nashville · listed 1976National Register of Historic Places

Distances are straight-line from the center of Union County, IL. Many sites are private property or working buildings - view them from the public way. See them on the map.

Historic Mills in Union County, step by step

1
See every listed site of this kind in the area
2
Sort by distance and pick the closest few
3
Read the record for the year, the builder and the use
4
View from the public way and note what has changed
5
Collect the set and move on to the next county

What people in Union County, IL ask first

How much does it cost to visit these sites in Union County, IL?

Most listed sites can be seen from a public road or sidewalk at no cost, and the app is free to use. Some sites are private homes, working churches or museums with their own hours and fees. The record for each one says what it is, so you know before you go.

Where does the information on these sites come from?

From published records: the National Register of Historic Places, the Recorded Texas Historic Landmark program, and the Georgia Historical Society and Georgia Department of Natural Resources marker program. Every site on the page names its source.

Are these buildings open to the public?

Some are, many are not. Churches, courthouses and libraries usually keep regular hours. Houses, barns and mills are often private and best seen from the road. The record for each site tells you which kind it is.

What does it mean when a site is on the National Register?

It means the property was documented and accepted as historically significant. Listing honors the site, it does not open it to visitors or stop an owner from using it.

How a visit works in Union County

Step 1
Find the place
Every stop starts as a pin with real coordinates. In Union County, IL the map shows what is listed around you and how far each one is, so the first decision is where to go, and it takes a few seconds.
Step 2
Read the story
The record behind each marker is kept whole: what happened there, when, who was involved, and why it was worth a sign. You read it standing where it happened, which is the part a textbook cannot give you.
Step 3
Get there under your own power
Walk it, run it, hike it, ride it or drive it. Stops in Union County, IL are chained into routes that fit the way you move, so a lunch break, a long run or a Saturday drive can all pass through history.
Step 4
Collect it and come back
Each stop you reach counts toward a badge, and a photo or a correction you send makes the record better for the next person. The map remembers where you have been, so the next trip starts where the last one ended.