In this documentary film produced by Dan Gunter and East Alabama Media, you will travel back in time, beginning in the early 1830's, when two men (Sam Carter and Henry Byrd) built a saw mill and two years later built the first gristmill on the property.

The goal of this documentary film is to share the stories of the old gristmill... of triumph and tragedy. In the film, we explore the lives of Bean's Mill's key owners over the last 175 years, leading up to how John and Faye Ross purchased and restored the gristmill, which was on the verge of being lost forever.

Bean's Mill is much more than just an old gristmill. The property and adjacent area have been the site of many happenings and events which were vital parts of the history of Lee County and Opelika, Alabama -- from dams to bridges, to an event involving President Franklin D. Roosevelt.

This documentary film on Bean's Mill not only takes you through the history of this amazing old gristmill, but you'll also discover -- in depth -- just how the old gristmill was powered and operated for nearly two centuries. You will watch as we fire up the old gristmill and actually grind corn into grits and cornmeal, key ingredients of fine, Southern cuisine. You will learn about the components of the gristmill and see how simple yet reliable a gristmill can be, powered by nothing other than water flowing over a waterwheel. No pollution. No carbon footprint. No fancy computers or modern technology. Still functional today, where corn is still turned into grits and cornmeal a couple of times or so a year-- not for money but for the satisfaction of seeing and showing how things were done in "the good old days."

And you will meet some wonderful folks... people who turned a dream into a rare and almost lost opportunity for folks around Lee County and Opelika, Alabama to enjoy an important and beautiful part of history.

We are considering offering a very special and significant discount for pre-ordering this documentary DVD. Sign up as a fan on the "Historic Bean's Mill" Facebook page -- or join the Historic Bean's Mill e-mail list by e-mailing East Alabama Media and putting "Join Beans Mill Email List" in the subject line-- and you'll receive notice of the pre-release special when it becomes available, along with exclusive updates and special background stories about the gristmill and the film.

Availability^: Scheduled for Fall 2010.

* Will only be available on Region-1 (U.S.) DVD. Dolby AC-3 audio (stereo.)

DVD copies of this documentary may be purchased via this website when it becomes available, or through East Alabama Media. Other outlets/sources may be made available. Be sure to bookmark this page and check back frequently, sign up as a "fan" on the Historic Bean's Mill Facebook Facebook page, or join the Historic Bean's Mill Documentary e-mail list (see above) for updates.