Lehi Mills Then and Now: Famous Footloose Edition

Lehi Mills Then and Now: Famous Footloose Edition

If you grew up in the 80s, surely you've seen the coming-of-age classic Footloose! And even if you weren't around when the movie came out, you've probably cut loose to the Kenny Loggins song.

The mill plays a huge role in the movie, providing Rem McCormack (played by Kevin Bacon), with a job, the high school with a location for the prom, and the villains with a place to fight!

The cast and crew worked closely with the mill employees. Sherm Robinson fondly recalls working directly with Kevin Bacon, John Lithgow, Lori Singer, and Sarah Jessica Parker. In preparation for the movie, the mill got a fresh coat of paint and minor reparations.

Ten years after the movie, the U.S. National Register of Historic Places added Lehi Roller Mills to its list.

Lehi Mills Then and Now

1984

2021

The mill used to be surrounded by farmland. Now it's in the middle of one of Utah's fastest growing cities!

1984

2021

The quiet country roads that existed in 1984 and the Footloose film are no more!

1984

footloose

2021

The mill has had a fresh coat of paint since Footloose was shot.

1984

footloose

2021

The famous Kevin Bacon lean looks a little different! The second doorway has been sealed and the door to the outside opens outward, not inward.

1984

2021

This location almost looks unrecognizable! In 2019, the mill underwent some serious renovations to make it look better and be more environmentally friendly.

The Prom Scene

At the end of Footloose, the prom takes place in the basement of the mill! However, that room doesn't actually exist, so the scene wasn't filmed at the mill. The set design was very convincing though because the movie leads you to believe that it is right by the entrance. People come by the mill all the time asking about the basement and are disappointed to find out that it doesn't exist like in the movie!