 |
|
|
 |
|
|
 |
|
|
 |
 |
|
 |
|
|
 |
|
|
 |
|
|
 |
|
|
 |
 |
|
 |
|
|
 |
|
|
 |
|
|
 |
|
|
 |
|
|
 |
|
|
 |
|
|
| Watkins
Woolen Mill State Historic Site 26600 Park Road North Lawson, MO 64062 |
|
Henry Frass, a Texas rancher, bought the
Watkins farm in 1944. His sister Emelia Frass Mason held an
auction on May 6, 1958, to sell the house and mill, their contents,
and the surrounding property.
Forrest Ingram and Lee Oberholtz, of Independence,
MO, attended the auction and successfully purchased the mill contents
for $650! Three floors of machines!
Together with their supervisor, Allis-Chalmers
executive George Reuland, they formed the Watkins Mill Association.
The Watkins property was first purchased
by George Stilley of Raytown, MO. Stilley was also anxious to
see the mill preserved and gave the Watkins Mill Association an
option on a small parcel of land around the house and mill so that
they were able keep the machinery intact and in its original location
in the mill. In early 1963 a bond issue to purchase the
property was placed on the county ballot, but it failed to pass.
The association turned to the Clay County Historical Society for
help in passing a second bond issue.
The society had been trying since 1935 to
get the property made into a state park. Their members went
door-to-door campaigning for the issue and in November of 1963 Clay
County voters approved a $186,000 tax initiative to purchase the
mill, the Watkins house, and around 600 acres for a state park.
On January 1, 1964, Watkins Mill officially
became a Missouri State Park Board property. The Watkins Mill
Association then took on the challenge of serving as the Friends
group for historic Watkins Mill.
|
|
