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HomeExploring the Past: Buena Vista, Marion County Heritage TourMarion County Heritage Tour10. Gypsy Camp Grist Mill

10. Gypsy Camp Grist Mill

The Gypsy Camp Grist Mill sits just west of Buena Vista’s city limits on the Murray Estate. Local lore has it that this impressive brick structure was moved from its original location to its current site in 1930. At the time, the mill was a key agricultural asset to the community. It used electricity to power a network of chutes and belts woven through the three-story building to grind corn into meal. It operated for thirty years, closing in the early 1960s. Gypsy Camp Grist Mill got its name from a nearby campground and store where for a few weeks every winter ‘gypsies’ made their home, purchased supplies, and traded. The building stands at the “y” intersection of two highways.

Gypsy Camp Grist Mill. Photograph courtesy of C. Murray, 2016.

The initial immigration of ethnic groups, commonly referred to as ‘gypsies’, into the United States began in the 1850s. These included the Ludar from Romania, and the Rom from Serbia and Russia. It is possible that the group which made camp just outside of Buena Vista were the Romnichel gypsies, who migrated from England in the 1850s, and gained work in the United States by breeding and trading large draft horses suitable for agriculture. While the use of horses declined in the northern states after World War I, Southern farmers, challenged by lack of investment and often difficult terrain, saw yearly visits by Romnichel who traded horses, told fortunes, and crafted unique, rustic furniture.

Submission composed by Erin Wenzel and Amanda Rees, April 16, 2016.

References and Further Reading

Murray, C. “Gypsy Camp Grist Mill” typed narrative shared with Dr. Amanda Rees by email, February 29, 2016.

Salo, M.T. and Salo, S. Romnichel Economic and Social A Organization in Urban New England, 1850-1930.” Urban Anthropology 1982, 11(3-4): 273-313.

Smithsonian Institute. n.d. “Gypsies” in the United States.” Migrations in History, Smithsonian Center for Education and Museum Studies. http://www.smithsonianeducation.org/migrations/gyp/gypstart.html accessed February 29, 2016.