Star’s Mill
The property that became Starr’s Mill was owned by Hananiah Gilcoat who built the first mill here before his death in 1825. This site, on Whitewater Creek, was less than a mile from the boundary between Creek Indian lands and the State of Georgia. Hilliard Starr, who owned the mill from 1866 until 1879, gave the site its current name. After the first two log structures burned, William T. Glower built the current building in 1907. This mill operated until 1959, using a water-powered turbine, instead of a wheel, to grind corn and operate a sawmill. The Starr’s Mill site also included a cotton gin and a dynamo that produced electricity for nearby Senoia.
Star’s mill was the location for “Deep South Glass” the glass shop in the movie Sweet Home Alabama. The film crew did a lot of restoration and a new coat of paint and the front deck was built.
The current mill, just over 100 years old, was the third mill constructed Starr’s Mill Interior – Senoia, Georgia on the mill foundation. Dating back to 1907, the present mill was rebuilt by William T. Glower when the previous mill was destroy by fire. More than a grist mill, the Georgia mill site went on to power a cotton gin and supply electrical power to the nearby town of Senoia. Still a popular place to fish and take photographs, this charming mill and day use park can be found about 25 miles south of Atlanta, nearby the communities of Starrs Mill and Senoia.
The Fayette County Water System purchased the historic Starr’s Mill in February, 1991. The millpond will be used as an additional water source for the System. This purchase included the mill house, dam, and approximately 16 acres of land. It is located on Highway 85 south of Fayetteville and will continue to be used for fishing, family gatherings and picnics.
What to Photograph
The old mill, the dam and waterfall, and the mill pond.
Where it is:
115 Waterfall Way
Fayetteville, GA 30215
From Atlanta take I-75 South to Georgia 85 ( NOT Interstate 85) South, through Riverdale and then Fayetteville and the Mill is about 5 miles past the courthouse square on the right. It is plainly visible from the road so you can’t miss it.
Maps:
Interactive Google Map
Use the map + – controls to zoom in and out, click and drag the to move the map, use the Map drop-down to change to “Map”, “Satellite”, “Hybrid”, or “Terrain” views. Drag the little man icon from the upper left corner to a map location for street level view.
GPS:
33°19’42.888″ N 84°30’29.147″ W
Cost:
Hours:
Facilities:
There are walking trails and picnic tables in the mill park.
Location Contact Information:
Fayette County Administration
140 Stonewall Avenue West
Suite 100
Fayetteville, Georgia 30214
Star’s Mill Photo Gallery
Click Here for full page gallery
More Photographic Destinations in Georgia:
Interactive Google Map
Use the map + – controls to zoom in and out, use the Map drop-down to change to “Map”, “Satellite”, “Hybrid”, or “Terrain” views. Drag the little man icon from the upper left corner to a map location for street level view. Click on a pushpin for more information about the Photographic Destination, then click on the title to go to the location page.
Click Here for Photographic Destinations by State
Great Places for Great Photos
Let me help you to find a great location for your next photography adventure. I will list many lesser-known destinations, as well as the famous "Icon Locations" for photography. I will provide photos (Lots of Photos), location information, consisting of what there is to photograph as well as other information about the destination. I will give costs, maps, directions, contact information, and other essential information for a successful photo trip. I will only post for locations that I have personally photographed to ensure a quality guide to great locations for photography. If you know of great places that are not posted, please send me the details, I may just decide that is a place I need to go!
Greg Disch is a freelance photographer located in Arkansas. Greg specializes in nature, scenic, wildlife, and other outdoor subjects in Arkansas and other areas of the country. Most of the images on this site are available for sale as prints, personal use, or rights managed stock photos.
Greg offers both classroom instruction and in the field hands on photographic workshops. Classroom sessions are normally held in Fort Smith Arkansas, but arrangements can be made to bring a class to your group.
All classes and workshops have small class sizes designed to provide an optimum student to instructor ratio, where you can get the personal attention, you need. Most classes and workshops are limited to a maximum of six participants and will be held with a minimum of only two.
If you are looking for a wonderful opportunity to get personal individual instruction, I do private workshops and classes at a location of your choice, whether doing a location photo shoot, coming to your home or business, traveling across the country on a road trip, or at my classroom. This is a fantastic way to learn digital workflow and be sure that your computer equipment is properly configured for optimum performance.
Leave a Reply