Voca Waterwheel Mill
Voca, McCulloch County, Texas
Marker Inscription
Built 1876, by H.A. Chadwick and sons, William and Milam, who constructed other mills in the region. Water was diverted from river by a still-visible, 1300-yard millrace. Originally used to grind wheat and corn; a saw was soon added to provide "rawhide" lumber. First cotton gin in the county, powered by this wheel and producing 3 bales per day, was constructed in early 1880s. A store operated near the mill for a short time, but moved to Voca after landlord refused to allow the sale of bitters. Mill operated until washed away by flood, June 1899. (1972)
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
Built in 1876 by H.A. Chadwick and his sons William and Milam, this water-powered mill drew its power from a 1,300-yard millrace whose channel is still visible. It ground wheat and corn, added a saw for rough lumber, and by the early 1880s powered the county's first cotton gin, turning out three bales a day. A store nearby even relocated after the landlord refused to allow the sale of bitters, and the mill ran until a flood swept it away in June 1899.
Why it matters
Water-powered mills like this one were the industrial heart of frontier settlements, grinding grain, sawing lumber, and ginning cotton long before electricity reached rural Texas.
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Related people
- · H.A. Chadwick
- · William Chadwick
- · Milam Chadwick
Themes & tags
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