At various points during the Civil War, both armies camped at Prater’s Mill, which Benjamin Franklin Prater built in 1855. In February 1864, 600 Union soldiers under Colonel Eli Long camped at the mill after skirmishing near Dalton. Then, in April 1864, 2500 Confederates under Major General Joseph Wheeler set up camp here en route to Tunnel Hill, where a major engagement occurred in May 1864. While occupied by Union forces, the mill was considered a valuable resource for food and was not destroyed. On some Civil War maps, Prater’s Mill is listed as Barrett’s Mill or Russell’s Mill. Barrett was a former property owner, while Russell was probably a Prater relative hired as a miller. Today, the mill still grinds corn into meal.
The grounds of Praters Mill are open to the public. An annual Country Fair and Festival is held the second weekend in October and features art, crafts, music, food, and a living-history Civil War encampment.