North Little Rock e-Newsletter Provided by Diane Whitbey, City Clerk and Treasurer
May 2026
5 Little Known Facts About The Old Mill
Found at northlittlerock.org The Old Mill at T. R. Pugh Memorial Park has been in North Little Rock for almost 90 years. Its claim to fame is being in the opening credits of the 1939 film, Gone with the Wind. But it has hidden gems from much, much earlier in Arkansas and United States history. Here are five of the things you may not know about The Old Mill in North Little Rock. 1. See remnants of an 1800s steamboat. Three hexagonal beams, located behind the “Broken Tree Branch” bench, were cut from the stern wheel of a passenger steamboat that traveled the Arkansas River in the 1800s. 2. Discover a milestone from the forced migration of Native Americans. A rock etched with the number one, located on the west side of the park by the stone steps leading to the water feature, was moved here from an 1830s military road, along which the Cherokee and Choctaw traveled into the Indian Territory, now Oklahoma. The road had been laid out in Yell County, Arkansas, by Jefferson Davis, a young army engineer who would become the only President of the Confederate States of America. Edit: there is a second milestone etched with the number four somewhere in the park, but it was lost in a landslide. If you find it, let us know! 3. Though it was never a working mill, The Old Mill contains real parts from other mills. The grist mill inside The Old Mill came from the Cagle family of Pope County, Arkansas, and dates back to 1828. The large mill rock on the first floor dates to 1823. 4. The Old Mill contains hidden, intricate details to be as authentic as possible, like the cellar and coat hooks. This small door under the staircase in The Old Mill may look real, but you’ll be trying in vain to open it. The “cellar” was a common feature of mills, where workers could put their lunches to keep them cool during the day. Looking at the cellar, turn to your left and you’ll see hooks where workers could hang their coats. 5. Who is “Pugh”? Thomas R. Pugh was an agricultural leader in southeast Arkansas and close friend of Justin Matthews, the North Little Rock developer who constructed The Old Mill. Matthews dedicated the mill in his honor. Today The Old Mill’s official name is The Old Mill at T. R. Pugh Memorial Park. The Old Mill’s cornerstone and the mill rocks inside are actually from the plantation of Tom Pugh’s grandfather. So how did these seemingly random historic objects end up at The Old Mill in North Little Rock, Arkansas? It seems Justin Matthews may have had a penchant for collecting and preserving items from the early 1800s, but the details of how he obtained them are mostly shrouded in mystery. We do know that Matthews was dedicated to providing as an authentic experience as possible and paying tribute to early American pioneers. His work changed the landscape of North Little Rock and is enjoyed by thousands of locals and visitors every year. A summarized history found at nlr.ar.gov In 1931, Justin Matthews developed the Lakewood neighborhood in North Little Rock. He contracted for the construction of a replica of an old, water-power grist mill dedicated to the memory of Arkansas’s pioneers. Neither the stone mill building, nor the general layout is a reproduction of any particular mill, but is a familiar design of early Arkansas, designed to fit the contour of a rough area. The Mill, completed in 1933, is intended to appear abandoned. On May 24, 1976, The Old Mill was given to the City of North Little Rock by the former Justin Matthews Company. Saturday, May 16, 2026 join the Friends of the Old Mill for a party to celebrate the historic site becoming a City Park. Admission is (always) free. Visitors are encouraged to pull out their 1970’s attire for the event! Another fun bit of history, many of you already know… The Old Mill was filmed in the opening scenes of the famous award-winning movie, Gone With the Wind, which was released in 1939 and featured actress Vivien Leigh (Scarlett O’Hara) and Clark Gable (Rhett Butler). The movie has been widely considered one of the highest-grossing films of all time when adjusted for inflation.
“Where’s Mel”? Be the first person to call 501-975-8617 and tell us where you found Mel hiding and win!
1