Carol Johnson, Southern Indiana Business Report
ENGLISH – The English Civic Club continues to move forward with plans to rehabilitate a 127-year-old mill located in the old town of English in Crawford County.
Tami Redding, president of the English Civic Club, said the group is waiting on the preliminary design plan, which should be finished soon.
“We feel like we’re getting pretty close,” Redding said.
Michell Allen Ritz Architects in New Albany is working on the design. The nonprofit English Civic Club received a $4,000 grant from Indiana Landmarks to pay for the design and Crawford County Tourism provided $3,500.
Once the design is complete, the group will have a cost estimate for construction. Redding said the vision for the space is to create a place for people to stop when they are in the area visiting attractions such as Sycamore Springs and Lucas Oil Golf Course.
“Our vision is for the main level to have some kind of restaurant, maybe a coffee shop or diner and a general store where you could pick up grocery items as well as some artisan wares from the area,” Redding said. “Upstairs would most likely be meeting or event space for small gatherings of 50 or less.”
The basement will also be used and one idea is to have a gallery of photos of English before the devastating flood that prompted the town to relocate. There’s also interest in providing space for youth to gather. Another idea is to offer bicycle and golf cart rentals. The building will be equipped with an elevator.
“We want it to be a hub of activity,” Redding said.
“The revitalization of the English Mill is a true display of the positive change that can occur when a group of inspired individuals come together. If the English Mill revitalization project comes to fruition, it will provide the community with a sense of pride for our history, as well as cater to the vibrant historical tourism audience,” said Kaylee Gildersleeve of Crawford County tourism.
Gildersleeve said the mill will complement Crawford County’s other historical attractions, which include The Proctor House (available for tours in the warm months), Marengo Big Springs Old Town Church, (currently in the process of being revitalized), Marengo Cave U.S. National Landmark (open for tours year-round), and Wyandotte Caves (open seasonally or private tours available upon request).
The mill was built in 1897 and has been vacant for about 15 years. It’s the only remaining structure of significance in what was the original town of English. A photo of the mill taken in the 1930s and posted on the English Civic Club’s social media page shows a group of employees standing by bags of flour.
The English Civic Club is holding fish frys to raise funds for the project and recently received a grant from the Crawford County Community Foundation to buy a fryer.
Redding said the group is also looking into the project’s eligibility for READI 2.0 funds and will begin seeking donors once the preliminary design is finished.
“Locally, people are very excited about it. They will come up to us and say they are so grateful we’re working to restore the mill. I’m very pleased with the design so far and I think there will be great enthusiasm once we get the preliminary design out there.”
Tami Redding, English Civic Club president
The grant to the English Civic Club for the design was one of three grants Indiana Landmarks awarded for historic preservation in the Radius Indiana region.
Other grants for preservation work
Receiving a $6,500 grant was First Christian Church in Bedford. The Rev. William Brown said church leaders want to improve accessibility to the building. Many of the church’s entrances have steps that hinder access.
“Overall our building is in great shape,” he said. “But accessibility is the issue.”
The limestone church with domed worship space is one of several historic churches in the downtown area. A later expansion includes a fellowship hall that is available to rent.
Keeping the building functional is important, not just for the congregation’s benefit, Brown said, but also to serve the needs of the surrounding neighborhood and community.
“As a downtown church, you have a pulse on the community. When your neighbors are homeless, you don’t want them to freeze to death,” Brown said.
The John Hay Center in Salem also received a grant.