Near Monroe City in Monroe County, Illinois — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)

Pioneer Mill

Monroe Co.

— Monroe City, Illinois —

Pioneer Mill Marker image. Click for full size.

1. Pioneer Mill Marker

Inscription. The Pioneer Mill was a center of early commerce. Often its water wheel ran a saw mill as well as a grist mill. Mills operated at this site for over 100 years. Prior to the War of 1812, much flour was shipped to St.Louis and New Orleans, in the late 1700's Josiah Ryan built a mill nearby at Golden's Blockhouse. A short time later Andrew Kinney built the first mill here, powered by water gushing from the spring in the bluff. Early in the 1800's the James Family came, and Gen. Thomas James, author of "Three Years Among the Indians", built a new mill here in 1827. The stately home here was the James Residence; Monroe City was then known as James Mill, later the mill was owned by Garretson and Harlows, and then it was purchased by a Swiss emigrant, Gottlieb Ziebold. Changeover from water to steam power was made in 1851. In 1882 conversion from a grist to roller mill was made by George W. Ziebold and Young Charles Duryea, of Pioneer Auto Fame, supervised the installation. After Ziebolds moved their milling operations to Waterloo, other owners operated here until 1899, when an explosion and fire reduced it to ruins.

Erected 1976.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Arts, Letters, Music • Industry & Commerce • Settlements & Settlers. A significant historical year for this entry is 1812.

Location. 38° 15.222′ N, 90° 15.713′ W. Marker is near Monroe City, Illinois, in Monroe County. It is on Baum Road close to Local Road KK, on the left when traveling south. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 5076 Baum Road, Waterloo IL 62298, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in Greater St. Louis.

It is also in the American Midwest,

in the Lewis & Clark Corridor,

in the Corn Belt,

and in the Great River Road Region.

Globally,

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it is in North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture

and also the Northwest Territory.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 4 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: William H. Bissell (here, next to this marker); Immaculate Conception Church (approx. 1.3 miles away); Maeystown (approx. 2½ miles away); Village of Maeystown (approx. 2½ miles away); St. John's First Church (approx. 2.6 miles away); The Village of Maeystown, Ill. (approx. 2.6 miles away); Salem-Baum Evangelical Church (approx. 3.3 miles away); M102 Howitzer (approx. 3.7 miles away).

Other markers no longer nearby. "James McRoberts and Mary his wife settled this place in the year of our Lord 1798"* (was approx. 2.4 miles away but has been confirmed missing); a different marker also named "James McRoberts and Mary his wife settled this place in the year of our Lord 1798"* (was approx. 2.4 miles away but has been confirmed missing); a different marker also named "James McRoberts and Mary his wife settled this place in the year of our Lord 1798"*

Photographed by Thomas Smith, January 15, 2020

2. Pioneer Mill Marker

(was approx. 2.4 miles away but has been confirmed missing).

Credits. This page was last revised on January 16, 2020. It was originally submitted on September 30, 2019. This page has been viewed 663 times since then and 38 times this year. Photos: 1. submitted on September 30, 2019. 2. submitted on January 16, 2020, by Thomas Smith of Waterloo, Ill. • Devry Becker Jones was the editor who published this page.