Union Mills

Union Mills is best known for the Union Mills Homestead, the restored mill complex on the land owned for many generations of Shrivers. The Shriver family and the various businesses they ran are interwoven tightly with Union Mills, as they worked as tanners, Millers, sawyers, farmers, canners, as well as being political powerhouses in the early days of the county. A Shriver descendant, R. Sargent Shriver, was an ambassador to France, advisor to the Kennedys, and candidate for Vice-President on the Hubert Humphrey, as well as being a Kennedy spouse.

 

The Homestead itself began in 1797 as a four-room dwelling built by Andrew and David Shriver. At the same time, they built a four-story brick grist-mill powered by the Big Pipe Creek. That mill was in operation until 1942. As the years went on, the Union Mills complex grew to include a saw mill, cooper shop, blacksmith shop, tannery, farm and cannery, and the settlement had a post office, inn, school, bank and a newspaper called the Chatterbox.

 

Union Mills has also had its share of famous visitors, including Washington Irving and John J. Audobon.