The mission is simple. Our passion is to preserve and restore the Big Otter Mill for the purpose of protecting the Architectural integrity of the structure, and to restore operation of the mill in the interest of historic preservation, to provide educational opportunities for students and the community and to promote tourism in the region.
- Our Primary Needs:
- Stabilize the Structural Walls
- Restore the Mill Wheel
- Provide Clean and Safe Access
- Electrical Engineering
- Refurbish Roller Mills
- Build Water Source for Wheel
- Make the Building Safe and compliant for the public
Tourism in Virginia is an $18.7 billion per year industry and supports 210,000 Virginia jobs contributing $4.3 billion in payroll and salaries. Other Bedford attracions such as the National D-Day Merorial, Poplar Forest, the Bedford Wine Trail, Centertown Bedford, the Bedford Museum, Smith Mountain Lake, the Blue Ridge Parkway, the James River and other attactions differentiates Bedford from other loactions in Virginia. Thanks in part to the late Nancy Drake, Tourism Director and now the capable and dynamic Sergei Troubeskoy, the current Director, the wisdom of Bedford City and County govenments in helping to culivate the areas growing tourism industry.
The Mill has the potential to be a culture heritage catalyst educating the youth of our community and throughout the Blue Ridge.