The History of Anderson Mill  

Salutations from Anderson Mill Elementary! I suppose you're wondering about how we got our name, Anderson Mill. Well, this passage will tell you why our name is Anderson Mill, plus about Mr. Thomas Anderson's Mill.

Years ago in the 1850's, a man named Thomas Anderson brought his oxen on a long trip when he suddenly came to a stop. He decided that's where he would build a home for his family.

This place was around Cypress Creek about twenty miles away from Austin, a long trek from Pennsylvania by way of Virginia. Finally he had found a beautiful paradise. There was plenty of water, wood, and game. Everything he needed was there: stones, timber, and rails for fencing. The enormous cypress trees had immeasurable possibilities for shingles and lumbering.

Later on Thomas Anderson and his two sons, Abe and Ed, succeeded in completing a home for the family and constructing a mill. This mill was best known as the mill where gun powder was made for the Confederacy. Operated by water power, it was first used as a grist mill. In 1863 under the power of the Texas State Military Board, it was changed to make gun powder as the Travis Powder Company. Texas needed gun powder because of the blockade of the Union Army. At one time, elder people told a story about three Union Army agents who wanted to destroy the mill. As the story turns out, all three agents were sentenced to be executed by the Confederacy.

The original Anderson Mill was torn down and the stones were taken away in the 1940's, around the time when Lake Travis was started. The site of the historic mill is now under water. The area that is around the mill can't be visited without permission because it is now private property.

There is now a replica of the mill not too far from Anderson Mill Elementary and almost across from where the historic mill used to be. You can go there and get some information about Thomas Anderson, his mill, and many of the old pioneer things that they had back then. The Anderson Mill Garden Club would appreciate you visiting.

Our school is named Anderson Mill because that is the name of our community. The location of our school is 10610 Salt Mill Hollow in Austin, Texas about five miles from the Anderson Mill replica.

Thank you for reading this passage. We hope you enjoyed it. Please come and visit us. You'll receive an Official Anderson Mill Welcome.