Iowa Heritage Digital Collections
State Library of Iowa

Mill - Motor Mill and bridge 1970

Title

Mill - Motor Mill and bridge 1970

Description

Motor Mill is located on the Turkey River six miles down stream from Elkader. This six story structure stands approximately fifty feet wide, sixty feet long and over ninety feet high with walls that are five feet thick at the bottom, tapering to two feet at the top. The huge limestone blocks were quarried and transported by cable car from the bluffs above the mill. The mill, built by John Thompson, displays the handiwork of four skilled German masons from Communia. Each wall was constructed by a different mason who was trying to outdo the other masons. Three sides were laid with carefully chipped rounded stone while the fourth, the intake side, was laid with perfectly square cut stone. No two sides are alike. All beams were pegged in and not one nail was used in construction. The wheels and burrs were imported from Italy. A Pin Connected Pratt Through Truss steal bridge was built at Motor in 1895. The bridge had two 95 foot spans with a 16 foot wide wood deck. In June of 1991 flood waters destroyed the south span. The span was not replaced due to low traffic counts and the historic nature of the bridge. The north span was then destroyed by the flood of 2008. More up to date pictures of Motor Mill can be found at millpictures.com . More information on Motor Mill can be found at www.motormill.org or www.claytonconservation.org

Creator

Roggman, Arnold
Garnavillo Public Library - AR Collection

Source

Arnold Roggman photo collection

Date

1970

Rights

This digital image may be used for educational purposes as long as it is not altered in anyway. No commercial reproduction or distribution of this file is permitted.

Format

photo 8x10 BW

Type

still image

Identifier

Roggman 606 photo

Original Format

photo

Physical Dimensions

8x10

File Name

MotorMillandBridge.jpg

Repository

Garnavillo Public Library - AR Collection

Repository Collection

Garnavillo Public Library - AR Collection

Digital item created

2017-wolter