A Glimpse into the Past: Roller Mill and Dam No. 1 Before Mammoth Spring State Park
Long before Mammoth Spring became a state park and popular tourist destination, it was home to a bustling industrial site centered around one of the most powerful natural springs in the Ozarks. A rare postcard and historic photograph captures this early era, featuring the historic Roller Mill and Dam No. 1—icons of the area’s 19th-century economic activity.
The Roller Mill stood as a symbol of progress, using water power from the spring-fed dam to grind grain into flour. Dam No. 1, constructed to harness the incredible force of Mammoth Spring, provided the energy needed to power both the mill and a nearby hydroelectric plant. This setup marked the beginning of the town’s transformation, fueling local growth and innovation.
Today, the photos offer a quiet window into a time before the area was preserved as Mammoth Spring State Park. Though the mill and dam are no longer in operation, their legacy lives on in the stories, photographs, and enduring beauty of the region.
To learn more or plan your visit, www.arkansasstateparks.com/parks/mammoth-spring-state-park
Cathy Drew is a lifelong resident of the region that she loves to promote. She was born in downtown Batesville in the late ’60s, located in one of the eight counties she now enjoys encouraging people to visit.
Drew became associated with the Ozark Gateway Region in 1990 while working at the ad agency (The Media Market Inc.). The agency handled marketing for the regional association, where she and her co-workers produced an annual tabloid publication. She began working as the Ozark Gateway Region director in June 2000.
After Drew became director, she took the region to the next level by helping the tourism organization create a new website and moved it from the old newspaper paper tabloid publication to a color magazine format. She helped open a visitor center for the Ozark Gateway, allowing visitors to pick up information from the entire state 24/7. Over the years, Drew has helped the organization meet new marketing goals, such as in- and out-of-state marketing, assuring that all 100,000 copies of their magazines are distributed each year.
In 2016, she assisted in creating the first Ozark Gateway Region Golf Classic. The tournament continues to grow each year, allowing the organization to expand its co-op program and helping each county have dedicated promotion. Drew stays busy at Ozark Gateway as the ad sales manager, magazine editor, day-to-day office operations, trade show representative, and magazine distribution representative, all while ensuring that the region is represented all over Arkansas and southern Missouri.
Drew was featured in several local and statewide publications over the years, as well as the 1997 cover of the Ozark Gateway Region tabloid, along with her then 4-year-old son, Jon. She has received several awards, such as the Batesville Rotarian of the Year in 2010 and a three-time Paul Harris Fellow.
She also has served as an Independence County election commissioner for several years. She now serves as their co-election coordinator, helping with behind-the-scenes management of voting equipment, day-to-day election deadlines, and poll worker training.
Drew is Batesville Rotary Club Past President, and is the Rotary Clubs’ current membership chair.
In March of 2018, Drew was honored with induction into the Arkansas Tourism Hall of Fame for her many years of dedicated service to the tourism industry.