Iowa Heritage Digital Collections
State Library of Iowa

Mill - Motor Mill

Title

Mill - Motor Mill

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. 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

Source

Garnavillo Historical Society
Pust, Earl Mrs.
Old Elkader Facts and Food
Muller, Jeanette

Date

1867-

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

Type

still image

Original Format

photo

File Name

Motormill.jpg

Repository

Garnavillo Historical Society

Repository Collection

Garnavillo Historical Society Archives

Digital item created

2017-wolter