Notice the ball at the peak of the roof line. This is an old roof cap. It was an iron bar affair that brought the two sides of the roof line together and the ball served as ornamentation as well as anchor to the thing. The old mill was missing the cap as well as many of the shingles.
Mill, impleller by the blue canopy.
Cooperage, see the docks carved out of the sandstone.
One of the 3 mill stones. Note the groves cut into the stone to allow the product to come away from the process and the shoot to the right that allows the product to fall into the waiting cooperage barrels below for shipment.
What is left of the old bridge.Motor, Iowa
The weekend turned out to be kind of chilly and damp but still not too bad as a whole. Cool enough that Buddy, the traveling Shih Tzu, couldn't ride along.He enjoyed the trip from his favorite spot, the rear window of our car. We got up early as we planned breakfast at the Savory in Manchester and then Den had an appointment to leave some hazardous discards with the folks manning the reclamation at the Delaware County Fair Grounds. We left, among other things several mercury vapor tubes that Den had from his years of working at the TV station in Fort Dodge, while working his way through college. Sometimes we have to get rid of the past, other times we need to treasure and protect it.
The Savory provided us with sustenance for our morning travels with lots of food served with a smile at a fair price. We then checked out the new location and visited the Manchester Farmer's Market. Picked up so wonderful cinnamon rolls from Mrs. Mike Henderson and pumpkin bread from Mrs. Reinert. Boys (Den and his youngest brother, Dan) have to keep their strength up.
We were headed toward Motor, Iowa. Yes, Margie, there is or was a Motor, Iowa. It is way back in the hills along the Turkey River in Clayton County. http://www.motormill.org/ The gravel roads that we took leaving Elkader kept narrowing to the point that it seems if we were to have met another vehicle we would ...............well, you get the picture. I, having seem Deliverance a time or two, was expecting to start hearing Dueling Banjos any time. (I think there was a fella getting ready to tune-up his banjo just before we left........ could have been mistaken about that.)
Upon arrival, I was totally enamored with the place.
HISTORY:
Back in 1867 three gentlemen had a dream and together they made it happen. (Isn't that the way dreams are supposed to work!!!!) John Thompson, JP Dickerson and James Crosby formed a partnership to build a grist mill, saw mill, farm and town at Hastings Bottom, the site of an earlier sawmill. The men changed then name to Motor for whatever reason. The venture started out costing them $50,000 to build the mill and another $40,000 to equip it and build the other out-buildings. This all happened between 1867 and 1869.
With lots of work and sweat from stone masons from the neighboring areas there was a dam built upstream of the site that was 200 feet wide and 12 feet high and produced 250 horsepower even at low water. There was a cooperage, inn and dray barn and many farms around on both sides of the river. An iron bridge was built over the Turkey River at the mill site. This venture went well for several years until northeast Iowa was hit by an insect attack and a flood that wiped out the entire crop at least once. The entire affair was sold to a farmer and was used as a dairy farm until The Motor Mill Foundation took it over and began reconstruction.
You have got to see the inside of this amazing building. The original timbers are huge walnut trees, or were. It appears that it must have taken 40 team of oxen to lift them into place. You can see the mortise and tendon work everywhere. Some of old equipment is still there to see like the impeller for the old mill and milling stones. You can see the shoots that the finished product would have taken off these stones and into the coopered barrels below for shipment to Dubuque and other points of use to make what is reputed to be the best of breads.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The foundations offers tours and answers to the many questions that are flying around in your head seeing all of this. Check out the website above for more information and I just bet that these folks would welcome some skilled help in their restoration efforts as well as just plain encouragement.
We finally left in time to head toward Prairie Du Chein and a walk around Cabalas. Didn't buy much but it is always kind of fun to see what is going on there.
It was getting on toward lunch time and since Den and his youngest brother, Dan, are still growing boys.................... By mutual agreement we headed to McGregor and the Old Man River Restaurant and Brewery http://www.oldmanriverbrewery.com/. It occurs to me that you must think that I am a big beer drinker but, fear not, Never more than one. We feasted on really great Philly rib-eye sandwiches and Brew City fries and headed out for Pike Peak State Park. I am kind afraid that this will get to you a day or two too late to enjoy but watch for it next year. McGregor Beer and Wine Fest, June 13th 1:30PM- 4:30PM. They are striving to make this an annual event. Something to add to your list of things to see and do. McGregor is getting to be a very fine place to visit for antiquing, great river views and great food.
Pikes Peak is one of our favorite camping places and the view of the river and Wyalusing State Park on the Wisconsin side are spectacular. Fall color from this point is always eye popping. New shower have been added to the campgrounds for the convenience and pleasure of the campers.
We took off for Guttenberg from here and took in the boats working their way through Lock and Dam #10. Guttenberg is always a pleasure if just for the drive. The rising hills offer so many views of the farming areas all round, a must for your fall color trips and the history of the town itself is a treasure trove.
This has been a great weekend day trip and Buddy wants you all to know that he had a really great time seeing the sites from his rear window view. Hope to see you around the corner Across Iowa and Maybe a Bit Beyond.
Linda
The weekend turned out to be kind of chilly and damp but still not too bad as a whole. Cool enough that Buddy, the traveling Shih Tzu, couldn't ride along.He enjoyed the trip from his favorite spot, the rear window of our car. We got up early as we planned breakfast at the Savory in Manchester and then Den had an appointment to leave some hazardous discards with the folks manning the reclamation at the Delaware County Fair Grounds. We left, among other things several mercury vapor tubes that Den had from his years of working at the TV station in Fort Dodge, while working his way through college. Sometimes we have to get rid of the past, other times we need to treasure and protect it.
The Savory provided us with sustenance for our morning travels with lots of food served with a smile at a fair price. We then checked out the new location and visited the Manchester Farmer's Market. Picked up so wonderful cinnamon rolls from Mrs. Mike Henderson and pumpkin bread from Mrs. Reinert. Boys (Den and his youngest brother, Dan) have to keep their strength up.
We were headed toward Motor, Iowa. Yes, Margie, there is or was a Motor, Iowa. It is way back in the hills along the Turkey River in Clayton County. http://www.motormill.org/ The gravel roads that we took leaving Elkader kept narrowing to the point that it seems if we were to have met another vehicle we would ...............well, you get the picture. I, having seem Deliverance a time or two, was expecting to start hearing Dueling Banjos any time. (I think there was a fella getting ready to tune-up his banjo just before we left........ could have been mistaken about that.)
Upon arrival, I was totally enamored with the place.
HISTORY:
Back in 1867 three gentlemen had a dream and together they made it happen. (Isn't that the way dreams are supposed to work!!!!) John Thompson, JP Dickerson and James Crosby formed a partnership to build a grist mill, saw mill, farm and town at Hastings Bottom, the site of an earlier sawmill. The men changed then name to Motor for whatever reason. The venture started out costing them $50,000 to build the mill and another $40,000 to equip it and build the other out-buildings. This all happened between 1867 and 1869.
With lots of work and sweat from stone masons from the neighboring areas there was a dam built upstream of the site that was 200 feet wide and 12 feet high and produced 250 horsepower even at low water. There was a cooperage, inn and dray barn and many farms around on both sides of the river. An iron bridge was built over the Turkey River at the mill site. This venture went well for several years until northeast Iowa was hit by an insect attack and a flood that wiped out the entire crop at least once. The entire affair was sold to a farmer and was used as a dairy farm until The Motor Mill Foundation took it over and began reconstruction.
You have got to see the inside of this amazing building. The original timbers are huge walnut trees, or were. It appears that it must have taken 40 team of oxen to lift them into place. You can see the mortise and tendon work everywhere. Some of old equipment is still there to see like the impeller for the old mill and milling stones. You can see the shoots that the finished product would have taken off these stones and into the coopered barrels below for shipment to Dubuque and other points of use to make what is reputed to be the best of breads.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The foundations offers tours and answers to the many questions that are flying around in your head seeing all of this. Check out the website above for more information and I just bet that these folks would welcome some skilled help in their restoration efforts as well as just plain encouragement.
We finally left in time to head toward Prairie Du Chein and a walk around Cabalas. Didn't buy much but it is always kind of fun to see what is going on there.
It was getting on toward lunch time and since Den and his youngest brother, Dan, are still growing boys.................... By mutual agreement we headed to McGregor and the Old Man River Restaurant and Brewery http://www.oldmanriverbrewery.com/. It occurs to me that you must think that I am a big beer drinker but, fear not, Never more than one. We feasted on really great Philly rib-eye sandwiches and Brew City fries and headed out for Pike Peak State Park. I am kind afraid that this will get to you a day or two too late to enjoy but watch for it next year. McGregor Beer and Wine Fest, June 13th 1:30PM- 4:30PM. They are striving to make this an annual event. Something to add to your list of things to see and do. McGregor is getting to be a very fine place to visit for antiquing, great river views and great food.
Pikes Peak is one of our favorite camping places and the view of the river and Wyalusing State Park on the Wisconsin side are spectacular. Fall color from this point is always eye popping. New shower have been added to the campgrounds for the convenience and pleasure of the campers.
We took off for Guttenberg from here and took in the boats working their way through Lock and Dam #10. Guttenberg is always a pleasure if just for the drive. The rising hills offer so many views of the farming areas all round, a must for your fall color trips and the history of the town itself is a treasure trove.
This has been a great weekend day trip and Buddy wants you all to know that he had a really great time seeing the sites from his rear window view. Hope to see you around the corner Across Iowa and Maybe a Bit Beyond.
Linda
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