The Mill House at Richland Creek (formerly the Moffitt Mill), offers a Natural place for your special occasion.  Nestled in the woods in the middle of Randolph County (about 15 minutes from the NC Zoo), the home has all the conveniences of modern living while retaining the charm and historic feel of a 19th century structure.

Although the foundation and structure of the house were laid in the 1970s, the old mill provided the wooden beams that now support the living room and dining room.  The fireplace was created from river rocks, similar to the stones the slaves pulled from the creek to build the dam, which is still viewable on the right when you pull into the driveway.   The wood flooring once bore the traffic of farmers bringing their grain to be ground on the millstone. The paneling in the family room and breakfast nook was worn smooth by the grain as it passed through the mill shoot.  The slate that lines the walkway to the front door, as well as the floor in the family room and kitchen also came from the mill. Mill doors were used throughout the house along with much of the original hardware.  The corn flour produced by the mill was “Moffit-made” packaged in bags with a young women’s picture with ears of corn on it, and we still have the bags in the home.

The five acre site, has a 3200 sq foot home with a 750 sq foot deck overlooking Richland Creek.  Built for entertaining, an industrial size BBQ sits in the deck waiting for your special occasion to celebrate.  The living room and dining room can accommodate 100 seated guests. We have parking for between 100-125 people on site.

Randolph County artist Cathy Cranford Futral grew up in this home and painted many of her first pictures here.  Evidence of her talent is still displayed, and if you look on the wall of the family room (which is panelled from the grain shaft) you can see her painting of the original mill.

History of the Moffit Mill House

At one time there were five mills and dams along Richland Creek in Randolph County, NC.  Today, all of the mills are gone and only the dam left on this property remain.  These sites are still quiet places where blue heron fish and river otters play.  It reflects a slower time when folks had picnics along the creek and then went for a swim on a hot summer day.  Richland Creek runs into the Deep River below the dam and is part of the Fear River basin.

According to the previous owners, a man named Swift built the original mill in the early 1800s.  The first mill burned and a second was constructed at the site.  This mill changed hands a number of times until it too burned in 1925.  Fletcher Stout rebuilt the mill and his son and then a business partner ran the mill until the Humble Milling Company of Julian purchased it sometime in the 1960s.  ML Shelton purchased the site from the company but it ceased operating as a mill in 1968, and then was sold to “C”  Clarence Cranford in 1971.

Mr. Cranford had studied architecture at State University in the 1940s.  In the early 1970s the do it yourself movement was very much alive and the Foxfire book (get exact title) was purchased and used as a guide for constructing his home.

The NC Dept of Transportation determined that a bridge over Richland Creek needed to be constructed.  Therefore the three story Mill would have to be demolished.  Mr. Cranford took two years to tear down the old Mill and salvage the beams and lumber, along with the slate flooring for the home he built for his family.  The house was completed in 1978.