Franklin Cider Mill

The Franklin Cider Mill is an essential autumn pilgrimage for anyone passing through the Detroit suburbs. 

Located near Franklin, a quaint village in suburban Detroit whose 19th-century main street has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places since 1969, the cider mill is one of the town’s main attractions during apple season, which runs from the end of August through the end of November. 

Franklin was first settled in the 1820s, thanks in part to the Erie Canal helping open up the Midwest. In 1837 Michigan became a state, and Colonel Peter VanEvery purchased a property on the banks of the Franklin River. In what was certainly a smart business move, he built a grist mill on the river, and all the farmers from the surrounding area came right to the mill to get their grain ground into flour. 

The mill was wheat-based until the early 1900s, when a flood damaged it and forced it to close. It was purchased in 1918 by Robert McKee and reopened as a cider mill, operating during the apple season. Since 1966 it has been owned and operated by the local Peltz family. 

The Franklin Cider Mill is an autumnal wonderland. The fresh-baked apple donuts and the cider itself are obviously main attractions, but there’s also a plentiful fall market open every day, with produce and gifts from the mill and across Michigan (including pumpkins and seasonal gourds) plus live music, face-painting, and hot dogs. 

The best part is the mill itself. Visitors can walk right inside the mill for a glimpse behind the scenes: Watch the massive waterwheel and the original 90-ton cider press work, and peek inside the kitchen to watch the cider getting bottled and the donuts being baked as well. Before the end of your visit, make sure to toss some breadcrumbs or donut bits to the very spoiled ducks that paddle up and down the water.