Cotton Gin
Washington, Arkansas
1874 Hempstead County Court House
While exploring the State Park town of Washington, Arkansas, we ran upon an old cotton gin. Inside the building was a wonderful steam engine belted to numerous line shafts. The line shafts meandered throughout the building powering various pieces of equipment including the cotton gin itself, what I believe is the bailer, a stone grist mill, a cane press, and numerous blowers and conveyors. Here are a few interesting pictures.
The gin is housed in this building.
We had no idea what we had found, but when we saw the smoke stack,
our first thought was boiler. Our second thought was steam engine.
Atlas Steam Engine.
And sure enough, here it is. An Atlas steam engine.
The engine's name plate.
Some of the line shafts.
I believe this is the bottom side of the bailer.
We weren't really sure what this is. We couldn't get to the top side of it for a closer look.
Grist Mill.
Here is a horizontal stone burr grist mill that was in unbelieveably excellent condition.
Meadows Grist Mill.
What a shame. Here is a perfectly restorable Meadows grist mill that is just rotting away.
Cane Mill.
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