On Sunday September 3rd, 2000 we made
a preliminary visit to the historic site of the Pharr Mill along the Rocky River
on Pharr's Mill Road near Harrisburg North Carolina. Archeological indications
on site imply that this mill was in operation from at least the second decade of
the 1800's until the early 1900's. We'll explore more of the history of the site
as we examine this location.
We arrived at the site shortly after noon - it had recently rained - the sun was
shining. The site is heavily wooded and the buildings are in a state of extreme
disrepair. There is debris and old machinery (some clearly identifiable as early
19th century) located throughout the grounds. There are many indications
(graffiti and litter) that the location is frequented by youth of the area, a
condition which may need to be brought to the attention of the property owner
(Town of Harrisburg) for safety reasons. This site is not a safe place for
investigations. The timbers in the buildings are heavily decayed, there are
nails protruding from the ground, there is sheet tin littering the grounds in a
number of places, and the site is likely the home of venomous snakes and
spiders.
Attending this preliminary exploration were Carson, Betty, Chris, Lisa, Cody,
and Andrea. Our equipment today included digital cameras, film camera, and metal
detectors. The metal detectors were of no use due the extent of debris on the
grounds.
Lisa presented the story of Jonathan Crowder who injured his right arm in a
milling accident here about 1863. "Following his death, he returns to the
mill in search of work to provide for his 6 children." This story should be
further investigated using Cabarrus census report data.
