Dollywood Grist Mill

The Grist Mill is located in Sevierville Tennessee in Dollywood, and it was constructed in 1982, back when the park was known as Silver Dollar City, a place I remember visiting several times as a young child. As I have lived within a hours drive of Pigeon Forge Tennessee my entire life. At the time the design was based on the last water mill in Tennessee, which shut down well over a 100 years ago back when it was constructed. It is an exact duplicate in every way to the old water mills which harnessed the power of water and the massive wheel to turn the large grind stones which grind the corn into corn mill. Later its used to make many things such as cinnamon breads and other snacks and breads, which are still sold there today.

Dolly purchased Silver dollar city back in 1986 and converted it into Dollywood, what is now 32 years ago. She comes from the Partons obviously, but she is also closely related to family lines such as the Rayfields, and the Profits, all last names of family and residence who all grew up in Cades Cove Tennessee many years long ago. Dolly's father and my late grandmother were 1st cousins and talked on the phone often up until the first of the two passed on.

Since that time she took over in 1986, it has grown by leaps and bounds to one of the largest theme parks in the south east, and if you plan on ever visiting the great smokey mountain national park (North Carolina and Tennessee border) and or its neighboring Pigeon Forge, Dollywood is probably one of the top locations on your itinerary. Dolly has done some amazing things for her home town, as she has never forgotten where she came from. She has provided thousands of jobs for people in Pigeon Forge, as well as starting a book foundation in Tennessee where every child born in the state receives one book every month until I think the age of 5, and I have a 5 year old and he gets his book still ever month. She also donated huge amounts of money most recently to all the people who lost their homes when much of Gatlinburg burned down in a terrible fire. It is truly astonishing her generosity.

Beyond that just a terrific person, always has been talented and entertaining going back to when she sang at a local grocery store long since gone now called Cas Walkers, when she was not even discovered yet at say the age of 15. She truly was just a poor country girl from Cades Cove Tennessee .She also starred in several films in the 80z, including one of the funniest films of all times and I never meant anyone who didn't like, via 9 to 5.

Since the Grist Mill is one of the most recognizable structures inside the park, containing so much history of the local area and all its ancestry, as well as the center point to Dollywoods famous Christmas winterfest celebration,  I decided to build it. The Winterfestival is depicted in image number 9. And the wheel itself is fully functional and spins freely 360 degrees. If you built a water slide leading up to it, I have little doubt the water would fill up the buckets and turn the wheel.

This set should fit nicely in any Lego city Diorama or could easily be changed over to a medieval scene for example which seems to be hugely popular with Lego builders, considering I see so many medieval projects here, most of which draw many votes. Much playability as well is possible with this set, considering the open air rear of the mill, resturant bottom level, next floor up the grind stone where the corn is ground and stored, and top floor is the cases full of many things created in the bakery displayed in clear glass cases.

This set is 2999 pieces and includes 4 mini figures including Dolly herself, a bartender, a baker, and a push cart ice cream salesman outside beside the dogwood tree, which is a staple tree here in east Tennessee.

Thanks as always have a great new year!