Golda's Mill, Historic watermill near Stilwell, Oklahoma
Golda's Mill is a red wooden structure standing next to Bitting Springs, featuring a 20-foot diameter steel wheel that replaced the original wooden one in 1908. The building used an advanced raceway system to direct water power from the springs for grinding grain into meal.
Dr. Nicholas Bitting established the mill in 1882 on a site where an earlier gristmill had operated shortly after the Civil War. The facility continued running continuously until 1945, supplying the region with milled products throughout that period.
The mill served as a community gathering place where farmers came to process their grain, and the owners provided free milled meal to Cherokee families during hardship.
Visitors should come in early morning or late afternoon when light best highlights the red wooden structure and its mechanical details. The site sits in a quiet rural setting that may have limited access, so it is worth checking ahead whether the property is open for viewing.
The mill displays the transition from wooden to metal technology in its mechanical parts, making visible the industrial shift in milling practices between the 1880s and early 1900s. Such hybrid designs were common as owners gradually modernized their equipment rather than replacing everything at once.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
