Glade Creek Grist MillPhoto by Jesse Thornton During the 18th and 19th centuries, gristmills were plentiful in West Virginia, where they played an important role supporting growing farming communities. By the 1950s, milling had largely ended due to new technology, and in 1976, Glade Creek Grist Mill was built at Babcock State Park as a historic attraction through a state initiative. Constructed with parts salvaged from three of West Virginia’s former mills, the picturesque structure situated next to rock-strewn Glade Creek is purported to be the state’s most photographed spot. Located near the New River Gorge in the south-central part of the state, it boasts a 900-pound grindstone powered by an overshot water wheel rescued from a burned mill. From spring to fall, visitors may tour the inside, speak to the miller to learn about its operation, and purchase some fresh cornmeal at the park’s gift shop. But even during the winter months—when the wheel has stilled and grinding has come to a halt—visitors make the pilgrimage to take in the snow-dusted landscape, capture a postcard-worthy shot, and reflect on a time gone by. This article appears in the Winter 2026 issue of Southbound. The post This storybook gristmill is one of West Virginia’s most iconic sights appeared first on Atlanta Magazine. ...read more read less