Alley Mill to be Closed June 21-23 for Pesticide Treatment

Alley Mill by Patty Wheatley Bishop

News Release Date: June 10, 2016

Contact: Dena Matteson, 573-323-8028

EMINENCE, MO:During a recent inspection of Alley Mill, the presence of powderpost beetles was discovered.In order to treat this infestation and protect the historic structure from future damage, Alley Mill will be closed to the public June 21-23 to allow for pesticide application.

Alley Mill was constructed in 1894 and operated as a steel roller mill for wheat and corn until the 1920s, when it came under the protection of the state park system as one of Missouri's first state parks.Since that time, Alley Mill has been preserved and protected by Missouri State Parks and then the National Park Service.Powderpost beetles pose a significant threat to this historic structure, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.Damage is caused by the insect larvae, which turn the wood to fine, flour-like powder as they create narrow, meandering tunnels in the wood.Alley Mill maintains much of the integrity of its original 1894 construction and is part of a significant cultural landscape.

Alley Mill will be treated with a pesticide consisting of borate mineral salt as the active ingredient, which is commonly used to kill and prevent wood-destroying organisms such as powderpost beetles and termites.The pesticide treatment will be applied at Alley Mill in liquid form to all visible wood surfaces, and through a foam preparation that will be injected into all cracks, crevices, and wall spaces.Once dry, the chemical application is believed to be less harmful to humans than common table salt.There is also minimal risk of chemical run-off, which makes it desirable for use in the natural setting surrounding Alley Mill.

Though the mill will be closed, park rangers will be available on the grounds and at the Alley General Store from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day to provide visitor information.Alley Mill is scheduled to re-open on June 24.

For more information, call park headquarters at [phone];visit the park's Facebook page, or website at www.nps.gov/ozar.

Ozark National Scenic Riverways preserves the free-flowing Current and Jacks Fork Rivers, the surrounding resources, and the unique cultural heritage of the Ozark people.