History of Jolly Mill – Pierce City, Missouri
Posted by: 
BruceS
N 36° 53.827 W 094° 04.284
15S E 404541 N 4083995
Marker giving brief history of historic grist mill in the vicinity of Pierce City, Missouri.
Waymark Code: WMNM5D
Location: Missouri, United States
Date Posted: 04/01/2015
Views: 3
Text of marker:
History of Jolly Mill
Jolly Mill, built by Thomas and John Isbell in 1848, was originally known as "Isbell's Distillery". The water-powered industry served early settlers with spirits and grist mill products. Isbell's Distillery became the hub of the new village of Jollification that thrived as a rest stop and resupply point for wagon trains moving westward to Kansas and Indian Territory.
The Civil War ravaged the area. Cavalry units twice clashed near Jollification. Bushwhackers terrorized, then burned the village. They spared the distillery.
At war's end, the distillery resumed operation. A less vigorous Jollification village rose from its ashes. In 1872, a new railroad to the Indian Territory eliminated the passage of wagon trains through the village. When distillery owner George Isbell refused to pay new taxes on spirits, he ceased whiskey making and turn to flour milling. Jollification village faded but the name "Jolly Mill" instead became commonly used by 1894.
Jolly Mill was improved produce large quantities of flour until the 1920s. after its flour market sagged, Jolly Mill continued grist milling for another 50 years until 1973. the Jolly Mill Park Foundation purchased idle mill in 1983 in order to preserve it. That same year, Jolly Mill was entered into the National Register of Historic Places.