Our Arklahoma Heritage: Historic mill site in Adair County served as a thriving tourist stop in the 1950's

Golda's Mill, a poignant remnant of Adair County's early industrial and cultural heritage, stands as a testament to the history of Cherokee settlers and frontier ingenuity in northeastern Oklahoma.

Originally known as Bitting Springs Mill, this water-powered gristmill, now listed on the National Register of Historic Places , embodies the blend of Native American traditions and European milling techniques that shaped the region post-Trail of Tears.

While the original structure was lost to fire in the early 1980s, its legacy endures through ruins, historical markers, and the stories it evokes. Below is a deeper dive into its origins, operations, and significance, drawn from Oklahoma Historical Society archives and local records.

The mill's site at Bitting Springs, about 10–12 miles northwest of Stilwell near Wauhillau traces back to the 1830s, shortly after the forced Cherokee relocation via the Trail of Tears in (1838–39. It likely started as a modest Cherokee-operated milling operation, grinding corn for settlers and tribal members along the clear-running Bitting Springs creek.

This aligned with Cherokee agricultural practices, where community mills were central to self-sufficiency in the Goingsnake District (established 1851, encompassing much of modern Adair County).

Around 1882, Dr. Nicholas Bitting, a Methodist minister, physician, and early settler, rebuilt the mill on the original site. Bitting, who served the physical and spiritual needs of the Stilwell area's growing Cherokee and white communities, constructed a sturdy frame structure powered by an overshot water wheel.

The wheel measured 20 feet in diameter, harnessing the creek's flow to grind corn and wheat into meal and flour. This upgrade reflected the post-Civil War boom in Adair County, fueled by coal mining discoveries in the 1900s and the arrival of railroads like the Kansas City Southern.

In 1908, the original wooden wheel was replaced with a durable steel one, extending the mill's life amid increasing demand from local farmers. It operated continuously, producing staples for households in the Cookson Hills, a rugged area known for its isolation and outlaw lore (home to figures like the Starr family and Pretty Boy Floyd).

As a vital hub, the mill processed grains for Cherokee farmers and European settlers, fostering economic ties in a region scarred by the Civil War's Cabin Creek battles (1863–1864, nearby). It wasn't just a business; it was a social center where stories of the Trail of Tears and frontier raids were swapped. By the early 1900s, it symbolized Adair's transition from tribal lands to statehood (Oklahoma joined the Union in 1907, with Adair County formed from Cherokee districts.

In 1950, Golda Unkefer, a former Muskogee resident with a keen eye for history, purchased the mill from the Worley family (who had run it intermittently after Bitting's time, closing it briefly in 1945.

Recognizing its potential, Unkefer transformed it into Golda's Old Stone Milling Co., a thriving tourist attraction. She added a rustic store selling antiques, mill products (like fresh cornmeal), and souvenirs, drawing hundreds of visitors weekly. Oklahoma Highway Patrol escorts managed the crowds during peak seasons, turning the idyllic creek-side spot into a "booming" draw for eastern Oklahoma travelers.

Unkefer's vision highlighted 19th-century techniques: visitors watched the steel wheel turn, heard the grindstones hum, and learned about Cherokee farming methods for corn, beans, and squash staples that sustained the tribe.

Tragically, the mill burned in the early 1980s, reported as a "tragic loss" in November 1983), succumbing to neglect and nature's toll, not ucommon for rural historic sites in Oklahoma at the time. A flood in nearby Tishomingo around then also claimed other landmarks, underscoring statewide preservation challenges.

The OHS notes the structure is "no longer standing," leaving only ruins and photographic records from collections like the 1890–1920 Oklahoma Historical Society Photograph Collection.

Today, the site is ruins amid the scenic Cookson Hills.

For hands-on exploration, contact the Adair County Historical Society in Stilwell (918-696-7294) or visit the Oklahoma Historical Society's Gateway portal for digitized photos.

If planning a trip, spring wildflowers along Bitting Springs creek make it a hidden gem for reflective hikes.

This mill's story isn't just about grinding grain, It's about grinding out survival in Oklahoma's wild heart.