milling around summer 2016

No.23

MillingAroundMotorMillHistoricSiteNewsletter

ClaytonCountyConservationBoard

29862OsborneRd

Elkader,IA52043

LarryStone

Summer2016MotorMillFoundation

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May14-15 May28-29

June11-12 June25-26

July9-10 July23-24

August6-7 August20-21

Sept.3-4 Sept.17-18

ThecompletionofthenewbridgeinDecemberof2012,thereplacementofallindoorflooring,andrepairsmadetotheroofandloftareaofMotorMillwerethefinishingtouchesonanimmenserestorationprojectthathasbeenunderwayformanyyears.

Therearestillplanstoreplacetheroofsoftheicehouseandcooperage,aswellasremovesiltthathasaccumulatedinthebasementofthemillafterthemostrecentfloodof2008.Theseprojectsareexpectedtobecompletedthissummer.

Thoughthetaskcontinuestofullyrestorethemill,alotofprogresshasbeenmadeandcanbeperfectlyexhibitedbylookingatthesite.Stopbyforavisitandtouronanyofourtourdateslistedhere.

Besuretocheckoutournewlyupdatedwebsiteatmotormill.orgformoreinformationregardingthemillsiteandthewonderfulhistorysurroundingit!

2016“StoriesinStone”TourSchedule

Tourswillbegivenonthesedaysbetweenthehoursof

Noon-5p.m.1

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LeshasmanywonderfulmemoriesfromhistimelivingneartheMotorMill.Likemostchildren,Lesenjoyedrunningaroundexploringandcausingalittlebitofmischiefnowandagain.Herecallsonemomentinparticular,whenhedecidedtobuildafloatthatwouldtakehimsailingdowntheTurkeyRiver.

Inordertobuildagoodfloat,Lesknewhewouldneedadecentsupplyofwood.Sincetheredidn’thappentobeapileofwoodjustlyingaround,heknewhewouldhavetogetcrafty.Lesdecidedtotearupsomeoftheoldflooringinsideofthemill.

Oncehehadhissupplies,Lesbeganconstruction.Heworkedtirelesslyatpullingupmoreandmorewoodforhisfloatandhaulingitbacktohishome.UnfortunatelyLessaysthatonedayhisfather,“FinallygotwisetowhatIwasdoing.”

ThisquicklyputanendtothefloatthatLeshadbeenbuilding.Herecallscominghomeonedayandrunningaroundtowherehehadstashedhiswork.Hewasshockedtofindthat,“Thewholethingwasgone.”Themysteryremainsastowhatexactlyhappenedtothefloat,andLesneverbuiltanotherone.

LesKlinkLesKlinkfrom

Communia,IAispersonallyconnectedtoMotorMill.LesKlink’sgrandparentsboughttheMotorMillin1903.TheirnameswereLouisL.KlinkandElizabeth(Wistrick)Klink.

TheKlinkfamilyusedthemillforfarming.Afterhisgrandfatherdied,LesandhisfatherfarmedallofthelandatMotorMillaswellasthefarmhelivesonnow.

HisfondestmemoriesoftheMillarefromhisyoungeryearswhenhehelpedwithfarmworkattheMillandthreshedoatswithhisfather.

LesisoneoftheoriginalmembersoftheMotorMillFoundationandcontinuestoserveontheirboardtoday.

LivingMemories

HaveanyofyourownmemoriesofMotorthatyouwanttoshare?Great!

PleasecontacttheMotorMillFoundationtoshareyourstory:

MotorMillFoundationofClaytonCounty,29862OsborneRd.,Elkader,Iowa52043

563-245-1516cccb@claytoncountyia.gov

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TheTownofMotorWhyisitcalledMotorMill?

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partnerwhoonlyprovidedfinancialsupport.Crosbyhowever,putinalotofhisowntimeandefforttolaymuchofthefoundationforthetownofMotor.

Crosbywasaself-employedattorneywhomademanygreatstridesforthetownincludingestablishingaschool,doingtheengineeringforthemill,unsuccessfullyapplyingfortheconstructionofapostoffice,andsurveyingforthetown.ThephotoaboveistheofficialplatofthetownthatCrosbyhimselfcreated.

Crosbykeptdetailedinformationaboutthetownanditsconstructionaltimeline.SeveralpagesofthisinformationstillexistincopiesofCrosby’spersonaldiary.Heregardedthemillhighlyandspokeofitkindlybysaying,“Beautifulinitsproportions,solidastherockfromwhichitwasmade,theoldmillstandsinwhitereliefagainsttheforestedhills,adelighttotheeyeinitsperfectionanditspicturesquesetting.”

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Plattedin1875,Motorwasonceathrivingtown.TherewereatotalofthreeinvestorswhofinanciallysupportedMotorandbuiltituptoitsmostprosperousstate.

Themaininvestor,JohnThompsonownedhalfofthetownandwasthecentralvisionaryoftheproject.Mr.ThompsonalsohadahandinestablishingthetownofElkader,whichincludedbuildingaflourmilltherebeforetheoneinMotor.

AnarticlethatwaspublisheduponthedeathofMr.ThompsontellstheshockingtruetaleofhowThompsonwaskidnappedbyawildgangofrailroadworkers.

TheworkershadstartedtobuildfortheMcGregor,St.Peter’sandMissouriRailroadCompanywhentheireffortsbecameacompletefailureduetolackoffunds.Desperatefortheirpaychecks,theyabductedThompsonduringoneofhisroutinetripstothetownofMcGregorbecauseThompsonhadbeenchosenasthecompany’spresident.Theythenheldhimhostageuntilheeventuallyagreedtopaytheirwages.

ThearticlegoesontotellthatThompsonwasaverykindandgenerousmanwhowasverysuccessfulinhismanyventuresinbuildingmillsaswellasprovisionstoresaroundtheNortheastIowaregion.

TheothertwoinvestorswereJ.P.DickinsonandJamesO.Crosbywhoeachheld¼ofthetotalinvestmentinthetownofMotor.Dickinsonwasmostlyasilent

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BeforethecompletionofthemillThompsonandCrosbyattemptedtobuildawoolenmillaswell.Unfortunatelytheywereneverabletofindaninvestor,andthusawoolenmillwasneverbuilt.Thesehopesforawoolenmillarethelikelyreasonfortheoneflatwalloftheflourmillsinceitwouldhavelikelybeenbuiltrightagainstthatflatwall.

Oncetheflourmillwasfinishedintheyearof1869itbecameahugesuccess.Priortoitsexistence,thenearestflourmillthatheldasimilarcapacitytothatoftheMotorMillwaslocatedinDubuque.Itwasafive-daytriptotaltomakeittoDubuque,waityourturninline,andreturnhome.MotorMillalsoboasteditsproductionratesof1,500bushelsofwheatperweekat5ocentsperbushel.

AsthemillingbusinesscontinuedtoboominMotor,otherstructureswerebuilt.Manyofthesebuildingsstillstandatthesitetodayincludingtheicehouse,cooperage,aninn,andalivery.Theicehousestoredicefromeachwintersothatitcouldbeusedduringthespringandsummermonthsasawaytorefrigeratefood.Thecooperagewaswherewoodenbarrelsweremade,whichstoredflourthatwasmadeatthemill.Theinnwasusedtohousebothtravelersandworkers,andtheliverywasusedtohousehorses.

ThereisstillthequestionofthedeepermeaningbehindthenameofMotor.Outofalltheendlessoptionsfornames,whywasthisspecificnamechosenforthetown?Nodocumentationexiststoexplainthischoice,butaneducatedassumptioncanbemade.

TheIowacountrysidewasquitenewduringthemid-1800’s.Thompson,Crosby,andDickinsonwereearlypioneersoftheareawhosawgreatpotentialintheReadtownshipsite,whereMotorwasestablished.ThenameMotormostlikelycamefromthemeaningofthewordatthetimewhenthetownwasnamed.

Motormeantsomethingnew,exciting,powerful,andmoving.Thisperfectlydescribedthedreamthatthefounderssharedforthetown.Theywantedtoestablishsomethingthatwouldwithstandthetestoftimeandstillremainaremarkablesighttoseecenturieslater.ThenameMotoralsoexpressedthethrivingenergythatthetownoncehadinitsbeginning.

Sadlythisvisionwasneverfullyrealized.Themillclosedafter14shortyearsofoperationafteraterriblechainofeventsthateventuallyledtotheendofwheatfarminginIowaasawhole.

MeetOurNewSummerIntern

JessicaWegmannisanupcomingjuniorattheUniversityofNorthernIowa.SheismajoringinBusinessMarketingwithaminorinVocalMusicPerformance.

BornandraisedinElkader,JessicaisveryexcitedtoworkwithClaytonCountyConservationandtheMotorMillFoundationinthefollowingmonthstomakeapositivedifferenceinherowncommunity.

ThissummerJessicawillbefocusedonanumberofprojectsforthemillincludingupdatingtheMotorMillwebsite,creatinginteractivewaysforchildrentolearnaboutthemillingprocess,andwritingthisverynewsletter!

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Inthisphotoyoucanseemembersofthevolunteerworkcrew,JohnNikolai

andSteveBeaumont,whowereworkingtoreplacethefloorboardsonthetopfloorofthemilljustthispast

May

DonateDonationsofanyamounthelptomaintain

andenrichthenaturalbeautyoftheMotorMillsite.Yourdonationsallowfornecessaryrenovationsandcontinuousmaintenanceonthesite.Recentlycompletedrenovationsincludenew

flooringontheupperfloorsofthemill,andnewwindowsforthemilland

cooperage.Anydonationisappreciatedandnodonationistoosmall.

DonationstotheMotorMillFoundationortheClaytonCountyConservationBoardare100%taxdeductibleduetotheir501c3

status.

Donationsmaybesentto:

MotorMillFoundation

or

ClaytonCountyConservationBoard

Address:29862OsborneRd

Elkader,IA52043

Phone:(563)245-1516

VolunteerTherearetwodifferentwaystovolunteerwithMotorMill.Volunteersaregreatlyneededandappreciatedsincetheyare

nothinglessthantheheartandsouloftheMotorMillsite.

Onewaytovolunteeristobecomeatourguide.Toursaregivenonweekendstwiceamonthduringthetourseason.Beforeyoubecomeaguideyourself,youwill

shadowanotherguideforatleastonefulldayoftoursinorderforyoutoget

comfortablewiththesite.

Anotherwaytovolunteeristohelpwithrenovationsbyservingonthevolunteer

workcrew.Itisimpossibletokeepprogressmovingforwardwiththemill’s

restorationandinterpretationwithoutthecrew’shelp.Currentprojectsinclude

removingthesiltfromthebasementaswellasreplacingtheroofsontheicehouse

andcooperage.Experiencewithconstructionorasimilarareaispreferred.

FormoreinformationortobecomeavolunteerpleasecontacttheClayton

CountyConservationBoard.

HowYouCanHelptheMotorMill

LarryStone6

SilosandSmokestacksNationalHeritageArea

Silos&SmokestacksNationalHeritageAreapreservesandtellsthestoryofAmericanagricultureanditsglobalsignificancethroughpartnershipsandactivitiesthatcelebratetheland,people,andcommunitiesofthearea.

TheGreatRiverRoad

TheGreatRiverRoadNationalScenicBywayfollowsthecourseoftheMississippiRiverfor3,000milesfromnorthernMinnesotatotheGulfofMexico.Thescenicroutepassesthrough10statesandhundredsofrivertowns.TheGreatRiverRoadisarguablythelongestandmostimportantscenicbywayinAmerica.

OurPartnerOrganizations

MotorMillFoundation

Themissionofthefoundationistoprotectandpreservethearchitecturalintegrity,history,naturalbeautyandserenityoftheMotorMillsiteanditssurroundingsandtodevelopappropriate usesandinterpretationasaregionaltreasureforthebenefitoffuturegenerations.

ClaytonCountyConservationBoard

ThemissionoftheClaytonCountyConservationBoardistopromotethehealthandgeneralwelfareofthepeople;andtoencouragepreservation,conservation,educationandrecreationthroughresponsibleuseandappreciationofournaturalresourcesandculturalheritage.

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