– Every Farmer has a Story with Bubba and Betty Parker –
Preserving Bodenham
Dedicated couple turn beloved grist mill into community museum
Story and photos by Page Haynes
– Every Farmer has a Story with Bubba and Betty Parker –
Preserving Bodenham
Dedicated couple turn beloved grist mill into community museum
Story and photos by Page Haynes
Bubba and Betty Parker love to recall when the tiny community of Bodenham in Giles County bustled with life. In the early 1800s, farmers hauled wagonloads of grain and seed to the neighborhood granary, while others brought cotton to the gin. And right beside the cotton gin — at the hub of it all — was the mill.
Built along Choates Creek in 1832, the Bodenham Mill was a water-powered flour and corn mill that served the surrounding community. The settlement was named for brothers Peter and David Bodenheimer from Holland. The mill was more than a workplace—it was a gathering spot that even served as a voting precinct. In 1865, both Union and Confederate troops stopped there just hours apart before clashing nearby at Campbellsville.
The original mill burned in the late 1920s, but a new one quickly rose on the site. It became a cornerstone of agricultural life and a source of pride for generations.
By the 1950s, Edwin and Martha Sue Thurman, who ran the grocery store, and Joe and Jane Parker, who managed the mill, were central to Bodenham life. The two families were inseparable, and their children, Leslie “Bubba” Parker and Betty Thurman, grew up as playmates, then sweethearts. In time, they married, had son John Thurman Parker, and dedicated their lives to education—Bubba as a principal, assistant principal, and coach, and Betty as a beloved kindergarten teacher.
Today, Bodenham is only a memory, but the Parkers work hard to keep its history alive. Both grew up there, attended Bodenham School, and helped at the grocery and mill. When the last mill owner passed away in 2010, the property went up for auction. Rumors spread that outsiders intended to gut the building for its equipment. The Parkers couldn’t stand by.
“We weren’t going to let that happen,” quips Bubba. “We went to the auction just hoping to buy something to remember my father, who ran the mill in the 1950s. Luckily, the buyers didn’t show, so we ended up winning the bid. We were very fortunate to get it.”
“We are so happy to preserve this piece of history and share it with schoolchildren. That’s the most exciting part of all.” — Betty Parker
Since then, Bubba and Betty—now retired and managing their parents’ cattle farms—have poured their energy into restoring the historic building. A new roof, fresh wiring, and replacement beams have stabilized the structure, and the three-story, tin-covered mill is slowly regaining its old character.
Although work is still progressing, the mill is in wonderful shape, Bubba says. That’s partly because it was kept dry. Instead of being built directly on Choates Creek, workers in 1832 dug a mile-and-a-half canal across the road to supply water to an overshot wheel beneath the building. The system included a shut-off valve and underground pipe, and the technology is still visible today.
“I can recall stories about when my grandfather, Leslie Parker, rode his horse to the mill every Saturday with a bag of corn laying across its back that needed to be ground into corn meal,” says Bubba. “And instead of charging money, they took a portion of the corn meal.”
To preserve the community’s history, the Parkers have filled it chock full of Bodenham memorabilia. Among the original treasures, visitors can see the water wheel and gears, the grain elevator and its metal cups, the 50s office ledger, the wooden flour bin, antique cotton bags and baskets, an early 50s meal sack made by the Werthan Bag Company, and old photos of the residents. There’s even a rare 1920s gas pump from the area.
“It’s become a source of history for the community, which is what we had in mind,” says Betty. “It’s like a museum for this whole area. We are so happy to be able to help preserve this small piece of history and share it with the schoolchildren in the area. That’s the most exciting part of all for retired schoolteachers.”
The Bodenham Mill is three-stories tall, covered with tin, and is framed by sawmill-run lumber. It’s listed on the National Register of Historic Places. There’s even a song about it, recorded by local musician Tony Ratliff.
Today, the mill provides a heart-felt glimpse into the past. The Parkers open it for tours and events, sharing its history and the artifacts they’ve collected with others who enjoy just a splash of Bodenham nostalgia and meeting new friends along the way.
For more information or to visit the mill, please email Bubba or Betty Parker at bubbaandbetty@gmail.com.
Bubba, right, shows Lawrence Farmers Cooperative Manager Damon Deese the homemade cut-off from the cleaner upstairs to the Meadows corn-grinding machine. “We love the uniqueness that our ancestors engineered for the mill,” says Betty.
By Page Haynes,
Contact phaynes@ourcoop.com