Posted By The Miller on February 21, 2011
This is one of my favorite photos. Karen is talking to Mildred (Lady we bought the mill from). I’m taking photos of the place. The blue spot on the left is Karen’s arm. I was trying to hide my excitement … but, I think Mildred saw through it. She was showing us around and telling stories about the place.
Posted By The Miller on February 21, 2011
This photo was taken from the rear of the building. Guess I didn’t see the holes in the siding and the torn plastic in the windows?????
Posted By The Miller on February 21, 2011
Looking through old photos I found some taken in 1994. This is when we first started talking to Mildred Weise about buying the old mill.
Posted By The Miller on December 23, 2010
The small washout gate (12in.) on the head race has frozen over with ice. I circled it is red. The water is still moving – red arrow. The other washout gate (2′ X 4′) is open a little and still flowing. These gates should keep the mill pond from silting in again. If the weather cooperates after the first of the year I hope to do some more work on the tail race.
Posted By The Miller on September 23, 2010
Dave Gahimer donated 4 oak posts to replace the jacks I have under the mill. When I finish raising the floors we will slide the posts into place. On the left Nathan Roe is bringing post to mill with tractor. Middle photo – Dave and Rob Jones are getting it ready to lower into basement. Bottom photo Rob and Nate are guiding it to floor. Dave is lowering it with a wench.
My ribs still hurt from the fall I had in the mill so I try not to strain myself. In the first photo you can see 2 new freezers. The old freezer went bad and it was covering up the old hole where the wheat was shoveled into the mill. When we moved the old freezer I told Karen “Be careful those old boards are rotten” A few minutes later I fell through them. My ribs kept me from going all the way into the hole.
Posted By The Miller on September 7, 2010
I planned to build a security fence from the mill to the walkway. This way I could walk from the door (I restored) to the walkway and rake the trash rack. I was concerned about folks walking around on the walkway and the fence would keep them off. I had put up a sign “DANGER – STAY BACK 30 FEET – DANGER” This seemed to keep folks off. So, I just added more boards instead of the fence. This will allow more water into the mill. The fence would restrict some of the water flow.
Posted By The Miller on September 6, 2010
Once the 2 pieces were connected we used ropes to pull it up. I put bolts in the sign and predrilled holes in the mill for it to fit into. Karen used a pole to push it away from the mill if it got caught on something (From a lower window). It took 5 people but we got it into place. It is centered on the center post inside the mill (Where I drilled the holes) but it doesn’t look centered on the outside?? Oh well, it has that country look.
Posted By The Miller on September 6, 2010
On the left you can see the new sign for the mill. A friend (Rob Jones) started a sign business and cut out the letters for me. I mounted them on 2 X 4s. We carried em down to the foundation – “31 ft long”. Below you can see Karen handing down the rest of the sign to Rance. A volunteer that helps us occasionally.
Posted By The Miller on August 31, 2010
There is a room under the new addition of 1940 that was sealed off with concrete sometime after 1969. I’ve told folks it is the “Secret Room” – No one has been in there for years, not even me. Well ….. I was in there, accidentally. There is a hole where the wheat was shoveled into. This started the flour making process. The hole was covered by a trap door. We were moving some stuff and I told Karen “Be careful those old boards are rotten.” A few minutes I stepped on them and fell through. Sore ribs, a banged up elbow and new oak boards covering the hole. I only saw a small portion cause I hurt too much to look around.
Posted By The Miller on August 26, 2010
As you can see the concrete wall that fell into the creek is gone. I had a mini excavator come in and remove it. I found the channel I’ve been looking for, it was under the concrete. But it only goes about 30 ft. and then there is bedrock. This ain’t gona work. Maybe it goes to the west????