Rock Mill is the crowning jewel of Fairfield County Parks District.

The first mill (1799-1822) on the site was destroyed by flooding. Built again in 1824, Rock Mill was one of a dozen mills in the area whose power source was the Hocking River. It was in operation as late as 1905 when it closed. For nearly 100 years, it sat vacant and in disrepair. After the parks acquired the site in 2003, a labor-intensive restoration was begun. A replica of the 26′-diameter all-wooden waterwheel was crafted and installed in September 2013; it is the largest of its kind in the nation.

In 2017, Rock Mill roared back to life! People from all over the U.S. and beyond have visited to see the mill (with a double set of grindstones) in action. Come see it for yourself during Rock Mill Days when it is open for tours on select days from May through October.

Some of the activities you can enjoy at this park are viewing Rock Mill and the Rock Mill Covered Bridge, birding and nature watching, photography, walking, dog walking, playing in the natural play areas, and picnicking.

Rock Mill Covered Bridge
Next to the mill is the iconic Rock Mill Covered Bridge.  It was built in 1901 by Jacob R “Blue Jeans” Brandt using the queenpost truss, is 36.5′ long plus 5′ overhands at each end, and sits over Hocking River.  This bridge is a replacement for the original 1849 and 1880 bridges.  This bridge was restored in 2008.

It is no longer open to traffic.  It provides a lovely view down over the falls and into the gorge and there always seems to be a breeze to enjoy.  This is a favorite spot for photographers.