UNION MILLS Per "Jessamine County, Ky 1798-1993" submitted by Howard Fain Folks traveling east along Highway 169 or Union Mill road, (Richmond Road) toward the Valley View Ferry hardly notice as they pass the small historic community of Union Mills. About four miles east of Nicholasville is the remains of a once active village so constructed to fit the needs of the people at the time. It was so named because of the variety of mills found there. Over a period of time from early 1800, the area boasted of a gristmill, powder mills, covered bridge, distillery and office, general store and blacksmith shop. One residence built by Col. Joseph Crockett still stands near Union Mills as a reminder of the bygone era. After serving as a Revolutionary soldier, Col. Joseph Crockett of Albermarle County, Va., moved to Kentucky in 1784 and after a short time settled on the banks of Hickman Creek in Jessamine County near what is now known as Union Mills. He built the stone house in 1803, now occupied by Roger Springate. Crockett was appointed by Thomas Jefferson as US Marshall for the district of Kentucky. From 1786 - 1790 he represented Fayette in the Virginia Assembly. He was appointed magistrate of Fayette in 1792 and was a member of the legislature from 1792-95. Under the Constitution of 1792, he was elected as one of the senators. A son of Joseph Crockett, Robert Crockett was responsible for building Union Mill along with Meredith Wright, Kentucky's first millright, who also worked on Jessamine County's first mill, Haydon's Mill. The first powder mill was built at Union Mills by Robert Crockett. These mills were owned by Richard Lafoon and stood along the banks of the Hickman near the gristmill. They remained there as late as 1850. One powder mill was destroyed by lightening in 1837. Powder was worth about $1.00 a pound. The village continued to grow as a covered bridge was erected to serve passage across the Hickman Creek. A whiskey distillery and office building was built near the bridge. The area featured stock feeding pens, general store and a blacksmith shop. Odgen ran the store and Jeff Lee ran the smithing operation until 1921 at which time the dam at the mill site washed out. It was called "The Hickman Lily Mill" at the time, according to George Sharp, the grandson of William Draft Sharp. George states that his grandfather, his Uncle Solly Jackson, and his dad, Ira D. Sharp, actually worked at the mill. The building was three stories high. It had an engine room and a boiler room. Hickman Lily produced two types of flour, spring wheat into Hickman Lily and winter wheat into Snow on the Mountain. After George was born, the Sharps moved into the old distillery office building, converting it to a home in 1930. I.D. Sharp bought the mill property, some 8 acres, in 1926 and in 1929 dismantled the operation and sold the equipment to Lexington companies. Sharp says it is still possible to find pieces of the old sample whiskey bottles around the area. The distillery made "Old Lexington Club" whiskey. The mash by-product from the making of whiskey was transferred through a pipe over the road to the stock feeding pens. After extensive renovation the Robert Johns' now reside in the old distillery office. I moved to the Union Mills area along with Mom, Dad, and sister, Jean Allen Fain Davis in 1947, at age 12. I soon discovered the nostalgia of the area. This place where the old mill stood was great for exploring and the Hickman great for swimming and fishing. The long hill leading to the iron bridge was the finest in the area for snow sledding. All of us neighboring kids gathered for a day of fun. Many times we would compete to see who could pump a bicycle up the long hill without stopping. The stone columns that hold up the iron bridge are the same that supported the old wooden covered bridge. An outline of stone from the old mill's foundation still can be seen on the creek bank. I still live here today, not far from the old Union Mills area and after all these years, I reminsce about those carefree days of my youth in summer and winter. Those days of swimming, fishing and crawdad hunting and of sleigh riding, bicycling, walking and exploring created enough memories for a lifetime. I think of all the people that must have passed this way at one time or another. I wonder who they all were and what they did. When people ask me where I live, I quickly and proudly respond, "Out at Union Mills."