Studer Community Institute

Historic Arcadia Mill updated to welcome more visitors

March 12, 2015
/ Louis Cooper
/ community-dashboard

A historic Santa Rosa County site that predates the Civil War has been given modern upgrades intended to make it accessible to more visitors. The grand reopening of the Arcadia Mill Archaeological Site in Pea Ridge is set for this Saturday, March 14, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The event is free, with parking and a shuttle provided at the nearby Pensacola State College Milton Campus. Arcadia Mill has been under construction since September 2014 for a new Americans with Disability Act-compliant bridge over Pond Creek and an associated boardwalk that leads to our nature trails, said site manager Adrianne Sams. “The new bridge and boardwalk will allow everyone to enjoy our site with much better safety and accessibility,” Sams says. “I think the staff as well as the community will miss the wooden swing bridge, but we are thrilled that our facilities can now be enjoyed by all.” Arcadia Mill was the largest water-powered industrial complex in Northwest Florida in the first half of the 1800’s. It now functions as an historical site owned by the University of West Florida and managed by the UWF Historic Trust.

Arcadia offers tours and exhibits to individuals and groups, including school groups. In the summer, Arcadia hosts the UWF Division of Anthropology and Archaeology terrestrial field school in which students learn archaeological field techniques.

The reopening will feature demonstrators such as the FloraBama Cut-Ups wood carving group, as well as numerous vendors, including the Florida Public Archaeology Network, UWF Alumni Association, Hand Popped Kettle Corn and Carmelina’s On The Go food vendor, as well as site tours. The event will also feature activities specifically for children, inlcuding candle making, making Civil War handkerchief dolls, face painting and coloring. Arcadia included two water-powered sawmills, a grist mill, a cotton textile mill, a bucket factory, an experimental silk cultivation operation and one of the first railroads in territorial Florida. Arcadia's industry ceased in 1855. Arcadia disappeared into the forest until local historian Warren Weekes drummed up modern awareness of the site. The Santa Rosa Historical Society purchased Arcadia in 1987 and granted the property to UWF in 2004. “The highlight of Arcadia Mill is the outdoor facilities including the elevated boardwalk, new bridge and interpretive signage. Arcadia offers rich historical and archaeological context within a unique wetland ecosystem,” Sams said. “In learning about this complex, people would be surprised by the level of ingenuity and entrepreneurial spirit that went into creating Arcadia Mill.”

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Historic Arcadia Mill updated to welcome more visitors

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