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Fickling's Mill - 1


Should you decide to take a relatively leisurely tour in a state be sure to take the back roads.  That's where you really find the best stuff you won't see along the commercialized main arteries and interstate.  We took this road because it looked fun and guess what we found?  I'm not even sure it is on any map.  It is a real old fashioned grist mill and pond dam.  You won't find it on any map, but this over-100 year old treasure was a real surprise.  
    









It was like we stepped out of the 21st century and into 18th century Walt Whitman.  No historical markers except a plaque about a William Bartram who wandered these parts in the 1700's detailing local flora.   This is why we got off the Interstate and is already paying off. 

We're going to take some views of this tomorrow and a video.  We stayed about a half an hour, soaking it all in and then on up the road to do some more exploring.   

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