Talbott's Mill

Talbott's Mill. . The mill that became known as Talbott's Mill was completed in 1827 with Moses Turner as the proprietor. The steam-powered mill used several methods of supplying the boilers with water over the years. One such method was a large waterwheel sitting on a float in the river. The current activated the waterwheel to operate an endless chain of buckets dipping in the water and delivering the water to a trough at the top of the riverbank. The most dependable means of supplying the boilers with water was a water cart hauled by oxen and driver to bring the water up the grade., Ownership of the mill over the first twenty years came into possession of several proprietors and even for a time the mill sat idle. Mr. J. W. Talbott purchased the mill in 1847. The early years of the mill were not profitable to the owners. During the tenure of Talbott's ownership, things were better and he made a comfortable living. He added a second building roughly the same size as the original structure., In 1889, the mill burned down, putting Talbott out of business. All that remains of the mill is the water pump used by the customers to the mill., [Captions] , . (Top) The Talbott Mill along Front Street ca. 1880. , . (Bottom) Senator Robert Dole standing on the site of the Joseph W. Talbott flour mill. Senator Dole is the great-great-grandson of Joseph W. Talbot. 1998.