Title

Grist Mill

Creation Date

1876

Description

This is a 16-4/10 X 10-8/10 cm sepia photograph titled "Grist Mill". The photograph is from 1876 in Glenwood Village. According to G.C. Torguson in his contribution to the Statewide History project in 1942, the mill was located 20 rods east of Franklin Avenue 80 rods south of the N.P. Railroad viaduct. "The mill was established by Barret E. Blodgett some time before 1870. The mill had a capacity of about 7 barrels of flour per day. It was powered by an overshot waterfall about 15-20 feet in diameter. Each bucket on the wheel had a barrel of water. The water supply was a troublesome part of the undertaking and evidence can still be seen (in 1942) where a ditch was dug across Highway 29 to the springs on the hillside. It is also said that an effort was made to take the water from the present State Fish Hatchery supply. According to what old settlers say, this plan was not a success as the fall was not enough to bring the necessary amount of water to the mill. "Some time after the mill was started, Mr. Blodgett sold a partnership to James Young. In 1873 or 1874, this man was killed in the mill. He was working close to a large gearing when the sleeve of his jacket caught on it. He screamed to Blodgett to take an ax and cut off his arm. Blodgett instead tried to stop the water wheel, and being excited, he failed and Young was mangled to death. Mr. Young's brother Samuel then came to Glenwood and took over his dead brother's interest. Some time later Mr. Blodgett sold his own remaining interest to a Mr. Persons Clark. "Then Young and Clark, the new owners, began experimenting with a turbine water wheel for power. This was a failure. In an issues of a 1877 Glenwood Newspaper they placed an ad stating they had both steam and water power for grist and feed grinding. A 15 horse power portable steam engine was purchased at Swift Falls. About this time 4 other flour mills were built. The mills at Swift Falls and Terrace and the West and Marlow Mills on the east Chippewa River and southeast of Glenwood. These other mills were larger and had a good water supply and dams and soon put the little Glenwood Mill out of business. "On April 13, 1878 the following ad appeared - which is the last newspaper record we have of the mill 'For Sale A Valuable Mill Privilege and 160 acres of Land. A first class water power situated in the northwestern part of the village of Glenwood.'" (G.C. Torguson - WPA papers) The November 4, 1871 issue of the Glenwood Eagle reported: "Lathrop & Blodgett's mill is now running day and night. The spring which has required considerable engineering and much labor will soon be brought into the main creek will insure them a steady, unceasing, and abundant supply of water. The fact of one spring furnishing water sufficient for running a mill shows that their mill is to be permanent. The building is composed of grout, three stories high, and when completed will contain two run of burrs. It is at present grinding feed, corn, and Graham flour, but as soon as the necessary machinery can be procured they will turn their attention to flouring." The label on one copy of this Trenham photo read "Clark and Young Mill built by Blodgett and E.S. Lathrop." Emory Sprague Lathrop was the brother of Alfred Crofts Lathrop, the Congregational minister and of Ebenezer Lathrop, probate judge. Lathrop family files indicate that Emory Sprague Lathrop was indeed a miller in Glenwood in the very early days of the city.
Advertisements in the Pope County Press, April 1878, list the mill for sale together with the surrounding 160 acres by P. Clark.

Geographic Notes

USA/Minnesota/Glenwood
Glenwood, Minnesota

Geographic Names

Glenwood, Pope, Minnesota, United States, NA [45.65024,-95.38976] [id:5028087]