Smith Center in Smith County, Kansas — The American Midwest (Upper Plains)
History of Old Dutch Mill
Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, July 5, 2021
1. History of Old Dutch Mill Marker
Constructed by Charles G. Schwarz, native of Germany at Reamsville 1879-1882.
Original mill was 54 feet high and large wheel had a spread of 60 feet. Sail cloth was first used for fan blades. A tail wheel 10 feet in diameter kept the big wheel facing into the wind.
Mill stood at Reamsville over 50 years and used wind power to grind corn, wheat and other grain until about 1914 when a kerosene engine was installed for power. Mill was in service until about 1920.
With consent of Schwarz family mill was moved to present location in 1938 as an NYA project. It was partially destroyed by fire March 16, 1955 but donations of cash and labor were used to restore it to its present condition.
This is one of the two such mills still standing in Kansas.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Agriculture • Architecture • Industry & Commerce • Settlements & Settlers. A significant historical year for this entry is 1879.
Location. 39° 46.85′ N, 98° 47.043′ W. Marker is in Smith Center, Kansas, in Smith County. It is on North Madison Street just south of East 3rd Street, on the left when traveling south.
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Regionally, this marker is in Eastern Kansas and in the Smoky Hills. It is also in the American Midwest, in the Corn Belt, on the prairies, and on the Southern Plains. Globally, it is in North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once the Louisiana Purchase.
Other nearby markers. At least 5 other markers are within 12 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: Statue of Liberty Replica (approx. 10.6 miles away); Higley Cabin (approx. 10.9 miles away); "My Western Home" or "Home on the Range" (approx. 11½ miles away); Welcome to the Home on the Range Site (approx. 11½ miles away); Pete and Ellen Rust Memorial Nature Walk (approx. 11½ miles away).
Also see . . . Dutch Mill.
Many of the early settlers were hard-working immigrants such as Charles G. Schwartz who was born in West Prussia Germany in 1840. He(Submitted on December 5, 2021, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)served as an apprentice in grain milling and worked in various mills throughout Germany. He married in 1871 and came to America 2 years later and became ill, recovered and went back to Germany to get his wife and infant girl. The family arrived back in America in 1876, moved to Smith County one year later and filed a homestead claim near what is now Reamsville. In the winter of 1879, he and his brother built the Old Dutch Mill.Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, July 5, 20212. History of Old Dutch Mill Marker
Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, July 5, 2021
3. Old Dutch Mill (north elevation)
Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, July 5, 2021
4. Old Dutch Mill (east elevation)
Credits. This page was last revised on December 5, 2021. It was originally submitted on December 5, 2021, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. This page has been viewed 1,140 times since then and 71 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on December 5, 2021, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.
