First built in 1821 by Daniel Peck, the original mill was a small structure built on four posts along the Little Kanawha River.
The mill was then purchased by William Fidler in the 1840’s along with a 200 acre farm, and it remained in the Fidler family for most of the next 140 years. William, using slave labor, enlarged the mill and built a dam a short distance up stream. A wooden mill race powered a saw mill, and a 20-foot overshot wheel was used to grind grain. Fidler’s Mill is fully operational historical gristmill that is viewable to visitors.
The mill eventually became a community building, an economic center, a social hall, and a primary visual attraction of the area.
Arlington, WV – Follow Route 20 South, traveling through Rock Cave. Stay on Route 20, and turn onto Heaston Ridge.