Thursday, November 5, 2009

Devil's Millhopper

I was off today and running errands in Gainesville. Isaac and I decided to "go somewhere pretty" as an errand today as well. We had time for a quick visit to Devil's Millhopper Geological State Park just before sunset. The Millhopper is a giant sinkhole, 120 feet deep with a stairway down to the bottom. There are 236 steps from top to bottom. The temperature deep in the hole stays the same year-round and water that runs down the sides in tiny waterfalls keep the area lush and moist. Here is an explaination of the eerie name from the park's webpage.
"Devil’s Millhopper gets its unique name from its funnel-like shape. During the 1880’s, farmers used to grind grain in gristmills. On the top of the mill was a funnel-shaped container called a "hopper" that held the grain as it was fed into the grinder. Because fossilized bones and teeth from early life forms have been found at the bottom of the sink, legend has it that the millhopper was used to feed bodies to the devil. Hence, Devil’s Millhopper."
Here are a few photos that I was able to capture with the little bit of light remaining.
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1 comment:

Keely said...

I love Devil's Millhopper! My grandmother and aunts live right across the street. I love to stop at Devil's Millhopper on beautiful days when I go visit them. Too bad I wasn't there yesterday, I'd love to meet you. Guess I'll have to talk someone into coming down to Troy for a day!