Sheppard’s Mill

SHEPPARD’S MILL
Sheppard’s Mill on Snow Creek, Stokes County, N.C. was built by Calla Hill Sheppard in 1904 to replace an earlier grist mill on nearby Ugly Branch. Sheppard’s Mill was a “roller” mill that produced corn meal, rye flour, hush puppy mix, plain flour, and feed. The mill is a two-story weatherboarded frame structure with a gable roof and a long one-story shed section which was used as a saw and planning mill. It is powered by three water turbines.
With its various operations, Sheppard’s Mill was also called the “Snow Creek Roller Mill and Wood Working Plant.” Adjacent to the mill were a warming house (where people kept warm in winter while waiting for their flour), and a small store. Both buildings are still standing. The store is now a residence and the small warming house is unoccupied.

The mill operated until the 1950’s when Sheppard died and Hurricane Hazel washed away the wooden dam. In the 1960’s the dam was rebuilt with concrete and the mill was restored, yet it never resumed operation.
The following is from an article in the DAVIDSON E.M.C. “Friendly Flashes” publication dated June, 1969 (as told by Ned Mitchell and Nina Elizabeth Sheppard Carroll):
The original mill site was on Ugly Creek, but it burned and a new mill was built on Snow Creek in 1904 by Callie Hill Sheppard also called “Kelly.” He was married to Isabell Shelton and the couple had eight living children who helped with the work.

According to Nina Elizabeth, one of the Sheppard girls, “Papa could make whatever people needed and do whatever needed to be done, from making the best water ground corn meal, flour feed, running a sawmill and planer, to acting as a veterinarian, pulling teeth for people, and making caskets for burials.” “Papa made his own pliers for pulling teeth. Later, papa’s brother, Marion Sheppard, who was a doctor in Lawsonville, bought him a pair of dentist pliers. They were made of silver.”

The following article appeared in the booklet: WALNUT COVE AND STOKES COUNTY (1914), published by T. J. Covington to illustrate the leading men and businesses of Stokes County.

Mr. C. H. SHEPPARD
Mr. Sheppard is a pioneer in developing undeveloped resources. Twenty-five years ago he practically opened a new territory by installing a flour and meal mill and a wood-working plant on an undeveloped water power on Snow Creek. His business has had such a steady increase that he has had to enlarge and rebuild three times. At present the Snow Creek Roller Mills and Wood Working Plant is one of the most successful enterprises in the county.
Mr. Sheppard is a power in the industrial activity. The story of the development of a community hinges on the work of this man. He has aided in the establishment of schools, churches, better homes, and is now leading a movement for good highways.
Mr. Sheppard is prominent in the Democratic party. He was its nominee for Sheriff in 1912. His method of life is such that he attracts widespread attention from his fellows.
Compiled by:
Charles H. Farlow
Stokes County Historical Society

🛠️  Shepards Mill

Shepards Mill refers to a historical mill locale in central Stokes County, near Danbury, NC, along Snow Creek. It’s identified in geographic inventories and old USGS maps as a locale (place name) rather than an incorporated town. ncgazetteer.org+1

The name reflects a grist mill and sawmill site that was a focal point for local agricultural and small-industry activity in the 19th and early 20th centuries, when rural mills powered by creeks and rivers were central to community life.

📜 History and Mill Operation

Historical records and property assessments suggest that the Sheppard family operated a water-powered grist and saw mill on Snow Creek in this area. The mill structure standing into the 20th century was built around 1904, replacing an earlier mill that had burned.

Key points about the mill’s history:

• Built in 1904 after an earlier mill was destroyed by fire.

• Originally operated by the Sheppard family, it processed grain and also included a sawmill.

• The mill used water power from Snow Creek to drive milling machinery — typical of early rural industries in this region.

• It continued in operation into the mid-20th century.

• In later decades the property was restored by local craftspeople, retaining much of its early milling equipment and water-turbine mechanisms, and was offered at auction as a special historical property.

Although the mill is privately owned and not a major public tourist site, its preservation reflects the region’s industrial heritage — when water-powered mills were essential for processing grain, lumber, and other farm products.

📍 Location & Geography

• The locale appears on USGS maps near 36.4451°N, -80.1437°W at around 712 ft elevation.

• This places it in the Danbury area of Stokes County, a region defined by creeks, small farm roads, and historic communities.

• The mill and its associated community were tied to Snow Creek, a tributary in the larger drainage area that eventually feeds the Dan River.

Sheppard Mill Road in the Danbury area preserves the name and points to the mill’s historical influence on local geography and transportation routes.

🧠 Local Context

In the Danbury Historic District region, many small industrial sites — mills, ironworks, and early agricultural facilities — helped shape the economy of 18th–20th century rural Stokes County. Nearby sites such as the Moratock Iron Furnace and local springs resorts also reflect this pattern of early settlement and industry.

Mill sites like Shepards Mill stood alongside other rural industries that provided:

• Grain processing for local farmers

• Lumber cutting and processing

• Gathering points for local trade before modern transport
  These small mills were part of everyday life for farmers and small communities before industrialization centralized production in larger towns.

📌 Summary

Shepards Mill in the Danbury area of Stokes County is:

• A historical mill site and geographic locale tied to Snow Creek.

• Built circa 1904 and operated as a water-powered grain and saw mill into the mid-20th century.

• Restored and preserved with much of its original milling machinery intact.

• A place name that survives on maps and road names, reflecting the county’s agricultural and industrial past.

Visiting or Researching

Since Shepards Mill is primarily private property, you would typically view it from adjacent public roads rather than as a public park. Exploring Sheppard Mill Road and local historic sites (like Moratock Iron Furnace in Moratock Park) offers a broader picture of Danbury’s industrial heritage.