Near Afton in Washington County, Minnesota — The American Midwest (Upper Plains)

Bolles Flour Mill

Photographed by Keith L, July 22, 2008

1. Bolles Flour Mill Marker

Inscription. About 1843, six years before Minnesota became a territory, Lemuel Bolles erected on this creek the first commercial flour mill in the Minnesota country. Bolles salvaged wood from the shore of Lake St. Croix and carried it on his back to the mill site a mile and a half upstream. Lacking nails, he used wooden pegs in the construction of a small mill. First built for grinding corn and wheat, the mill was later remodeled and was in operation as late as 1875 when Bolles died. The stream on which the mill was built became known as Bolles Creek.

Erected by the Washington County Historical Society in cooperation with the Minnesota Highway Department · 1959

Erected 1959 by the Washington County Historical Society in cooperation with the Minnesota Highway Department.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Industry & Commerce. A significant historical year for this entry is 1843.

Location. 44° 54.533′ N, 92° 46.843′ W. Marker is near Afton, Minnesota, in Washington County. It is on Saint Croix Trail North (County Highway 18 / 21) 0.3 miles north of Stagecoach Trail South (County Highway 21), on the right

Paid Advertisement

Click or scan to see
this page online

when traveling north. Marker is at a highway pull-off. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Afton MN 55001, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in the Twin Cities Metropolitan Area.

It is also in the American Midwest,

in the Corn Belt,

and in the Great River Road Region.

Globally, it is in North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once Rupert’s Land,

the territory of the Mississippian Culture,

and the Northwest Territory.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 5 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: The St. Croix River Valley / Welcome to Minnesota (approx. 3.6 miles away); The Miller Barn (approx. 4.6 miles away); Helping Hands (approx. 4.6 miles away); Farmland to Forest (approx. 4.7 miles away); Neighbors Helping Neighbors (approx. 4.7 miles away); In the Summer of 1910 (approx. 4.7 miles away in Wisconsin); Hudson Toll Bridge (approx. 4.7 miles away in Wisconsin); 112 Walnut Street (approx. 4.7 miles away in Wisconsin).

Photographed by Keith L, July 22, 2009

2. Bolles Flour Mill Marker

Credits. This page was last revised on June 16, 2016. It was originally submitted on August 17, 2009, by Keith L of Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin. This page has been viewed 2,097 times since then and 83 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on August 17, 2009, by Keith L of Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin. • Craig Swain was the editor who published this page.