Naming Dacula's Downtown Park

This article was originally posted on the City of Dacula website and is reposted with permission from .

In determining the historic background of the new downtown park site, I wanted to share some information about the location the City Council will soon be naming.

Early in the history of this tract of land, the Dacula Milling Company occupied what I guess was the first set of buildings on this property. No pictures exist (to my knowledge). So what we know is that there was a business that milled wheat into flour and corn into corn meal. An article from 1903 mentions that the Dacula Milling Company’s flour and corn meal was “the equal of the northern mills.” And the article noted that the owner(s) operated a ginnery and planing mill also. The gazebo in the park has the original top decoration from the original Mill building.

A News Herald article from February 1904 indicated that a Dacula resident had a frightful accident at the Dacula Milling Company’s gin. His left arm was broken in two places, and Mr. Sockwell, the victim, also lost most of his left hand in the accident.

A public sale notice from January 1904 indicated that all the property and equipment, including a 50 HP Frick engine and boiler would be sold to the highest bidder.  So just like in 2012, one of our earliest businesses found the economic pressures too much.

I’m including a video of a restoration project of a 1904 or 1907 Frick engine (mounted on a tractor frame). I believe the Frick Engine used at the Dacula Milling Company would have been skid mounted.