The Mill Turns 100!

Photos of Lewisville Roller Mills taken in the 1970s were stamped with a special commemorative postal stamp designed for the mill’s 100th anniversary.

A Big Celebration!

This past Saturday (October 16, 2010), Casanova’s Coffees & Fudge — now The Coffee Mill in Lewisville — hosted a party in honor of Lewisville Roller Mills’ 100th Anniversary. The mill was built in 1910 by J. P. Sprinkle and was purchased by my grandfather, Fielden H. Jennings Sr., in 1925. (An extensive photo history of the mill and the Jennings family can be found at Lewisville Roller Mills – One Family’s Story. The plural usage of the word “Mills” in the name “Lewisville Roller Mills” is also explained.)

Fun, Food, Music & More

With the backdrop of a beautiful fall day, the mill’s big 100th birthday bash ran from 1:00 till 4:00 p.m. at the site of Casanova’s Coffees & Fudge on the western end of the old mill building. The celebration also served as an opportunity to donate books and money to the Lewisville Library. In fact, three “gently used” books could be swapped for a FREE 1/4 lb. of chocolate fudge. What a delicious deal!

For MORE on the fun-filled celebration of Lewisville Roller Mills’ 100th Anniversary — including lots of PHOTOS — please continue to the NEXT SECTION.

People participated in an old-fashioned cake walk during which music was played as they walked in a circle on numbered spaces. When the music stopped, a number was drawn. The person standing on the selected number got to choose from a table full of scrumptious desserts. Proceeds from the ticket sales were donated to the Lewisville Library.

The mill celebration featured a variety of activities and participants, including a TOUR of the third floor of the mill. Activities on the second floor included:

• HISTORICAL EXHIBITS of the mill and the Lewisville community by the Lewisville Historical Society
• OLD-FASHIONED CAKE WALK, with MUSIC provided by singer/songwriter Tom Rucker (with proceeds benefiting the Lewisville Library)

Singer/songwriter Tim Rucker and accompanists performed during the 100th anniversary celebration of Lewisville Roller Mills. The group also played the music for the old-fashioned cake walks.

Ground floor and outdoor activities included:

• ART SHOW with local artists, potters, painters, photographers, jewelers and woodworkers
• KIDS CARNIVAL with games and prizes
• GUITARIST Philip Childress
• Live demonstration BEE HIVE by Fernwood Bee Farm
• RAFFLE for pen-and-ink drawing of Lewisville Roller Mills (with proceeds benefiting the library)
• Special commemorative POSTAL STAMP letter cancellation by Postmaster Michael Boone
• WINE TASTING by Barnhill’s Books Wine Art Gifts

Some Things Haven’t Changed

Alas, the pleasant smell of the molasses-enriched horse feed once made at the mill has been replaced now with the rich aroma of specialty coffees drifting from Casanova’s Coffees & Fudge. Boy, would my grandfather be surprised by all of the changes! He’d probably also get a good chuckle at learning that — in the very spot where the old flour (roller) mills once stood — an enterprising business owner is making a living selling rubber stamps and scrapbook paraphernalia!

Yes, time has moved along, and many things about the old mill have changed. But thankfully, it’s still a hub of community activity, where friends and customers still come for quality services and products. And, as much as it was true at the old mill, I suspect that many of the friends and customers of these 21st-century businesses also come for fellowship and to share a bit of life together. Such gifts are the legacy of businesses and business owners that become part of a community’s fabric.

Local artists, potters, painters, photographers, jewelers and woodworkers displayed their works along the porch in front of Casanova’s Coffees & Fudge.

Many Thanks

On behalf of the Jennings family, I’d like to thank the folks at Casanova’s Coffees & Fudge  — Adele Casanova, Cindy Cenedella and their many helpers — for hosting such a delightful anniversary party for the mill. We appreciate all the hard work and planning that went into the celebration. We thoroughly enjoyed the opportunity to share and to reminisce.

Thanks also to members of the Lewisville Historical Society for helping with the historical exhibit on Lewisville Roller Mills. Your contributions were a valuable addition to our own family photos and memorabilia from the mill.

Finally, as always, we remain grateful to the Fowler family for not razing the mill after buying it in 1984, and for making it so much more than we imagined it might become. Our especial thanks go to Tom Fowler and to Roger Fowler.

View the Photo Gallery

To see PHOTOS of some of the fun moments at the anniversary party, please CLICK to visit the Lewisville Roller Mills’ 100th Anniversary photo gallery.