The Early Years  

The history of the property known today as The Inn at Evins Mill actually dates back to 1824, when a Tennessee Land Grant recorded it as Lockhart's Mill. Since then, the land has seen several owners, including the Lockhart, Lawrence and Webb families, all of whom built mills on the property. Perhaps the most well known proprietor was the politically prominent Evins family. 

The Evins Era

Edgar Evins was a state senator and successful businessman with a variety of interests, including banking, bussing and oil. He bought the property in 1937 and built the present mill two years later, apparently in conjunction with an emerging business in Lebanon called Martha White.

At the end of World War II after only five years of activity, Edgar ceased milling operations. While the mill lay dormant for years, the present log lodge that his wife Myrtie built in that same era became a bustling summer retreat for the Evins family – an ideal location in a time before air conditioning.

Mrs. Evins passed the property to her son, Joe L. Evins, who, as a U.S. Congressman from 1946 to 1976, used it as a political retreat. Governors of Tennessee, including Buford Ellington, Estes Kefauver, and Frank Clement visited the Congressman here, as did Evins’ friends Albert Gore, Sr. &  his son Al, Jr. Before becoming a U.S. Senator and later U.S. Vice-President, Al Gore Jr. was elected to the same congressional seat Evins once held. In addition to these political gatherings, Evins also used the property as a place for personal events, like reunions and receptions.

The  Congressman would eventually bequeath the property to his alma mater, Vanderbilt University, in Nashville, Tennessee.

Chapelgate

In 1986, Angel & Robin Isaacs and their children purchased the land from Vanderbilt and established it as the headquarters of their business, ICDI, which developed software technology for drilling oil wells.

Angel later converted the property into a private hideaway for Christian music recording artists and songwriters, which she called Chapelgate. In fact, Amy Grant recorded her record-breaking "Lead Me On" music video at the base of Carmac Falls. The family spent thousands of hours renovating the buildings and is responsible for designing and engineering the bridge that currently spans Evins Mill Pond.

To this day, Angel shares a deep affection for the property that figured so prominently in her life, authoring "The Chapelgate Adventure Series" and using the property as the setting for her books, details about which can be found at www.ChapelgateAngel.com.

The Mill

In 1991, Nashville businessman Bill Cochran, of Northwestern Mutual Financial Network, acquired the property to use as a private retreat for his family and business. He called it simply “The Mill.”

The following  year, he transformed the upper floor of the Gristmill into the conference center it is today and, with the assistance of his wife Anita, significantly renovated the Main Lodge. Their contribution to the Lodge’s comfortable ambiance is apparent in a number of its decorative touches.

The Inn at Evins Mill

In early 1994, Bill and his son William formed the Cochran Management Company, which acquired the property and developed it further, most notably with the construction of twelve bluff view rooms. In October of that same year, Evins Mill opened its doors to the public.

In the early years, the property was used almost exclusively as a corporate retreat, and in fact was first called “Evins Mill Retreat.” In 2000, the business expanded its services and clientele to include leisure travel and special events, such as weddings, receptions and banquets. To better represent this more diverse portfolio of services, offerings and patronage, the property became known at this time and remains known today as “The Inn at Evins Mill.”

To accommodate this more varied client base, Evins Mill embarked in 2002 on a second round of upgrades, including the addition of Cortland Game Hall and the remodeling of its guest rooms. The most ambitious project of all was the recent addition to the Grand Lodge of Taylor Hall, Manning Overlook, Ivy Overlook and a bar in Adele Commons.

Even as Evins Mill evolves and grows, it strives to remain true to its heritage of down-home hospitality.