The Big Stone Mills

The Big Stone Mills. . You are standing on the site of Big Stone Mills., During pioneer times, a working mill made an important contribution to a town's ability to survive., In 1856, two teenagers from Spillville were sent to a mill in Waucoma to pick up a supply of flour. The boys drove a wagon pulled by a pair of oxen. A winter storm hit. The oxen returned home with an empty wagon. The teenagers, believed to be Martin Bouska's son, Carl, and John Novak's son, Joseph, froze to death in the blizzard. This tragedy was the catalyst for a working mill in Spillville. , In the 1860s, the community of Spillville was home to nine or ten families, as well as a hotel, a brewery, a blacksmith, a wagonmaker, a tinsmith, and a carpenter. In 1865, J.J. Linhart and Ignatz Benda transferred land to Hannah Morse, S.W. Salls, and Christopher Collier, who intended to build a mill on the Turkey River at the north end of town. At least six other individuals played a part in the mill's operation during its first decade of existence. , The Big Stone Mills opened for business in 1867. , The mill had a capacity of 300 bushels of grain a day. During the 12-month period ending June 1870, Big Stone Mills processed 59,000 bushels of grain, producing 6,000 barrels of flour and 225 tons of livestock feed. Big Stones Flour was the primary export of the Spillville community. It was in great demand in Chicago and did well against better known brands, selling for $4.00 per barrel. , The Big Stone Mills was powered by a 48" Leffel hydraulic turbine which in turn was powered from a spar dam behind the mill on the Turkey River. In the 20th century, a gas engine, and later, a diesel engine supplemented the water wheel to supply power for milling. , After 1880, the mill was owned and operated by the Bernatz family for seven decades. , Charles Ira purchased the mill in 1951. He converted the mill from water and diesel to electric power during the 1950s. By that time, the mill produced animal feed only, and was no longer milling flour. In the 1980s, Ira sold Big Stone Mills to the Lynch family, who continued operations until a modern mill was built northwest of this site. , As well as its flour and feed production, the mill was considered an attractive landmark, eventually being listed on the National Register of Historic Places. , The mill site was donated to the city by Cyril Klimesh, who was born and raised in Spillville. Klimesh, author of the book "They Came to This Place - A History of Spillville, Iowa, and Its Czech Settlers," purchased the mill with the hope that it might be restored and preserved. After flooding of the Turkey River in 2008 washed silt onto the second floor of the mill, Cyril realized that the damage was too much to overcome. , Big Stone Mills was demolished in the fall of 2011. , [other photo captions] , . Adolf and Emma Ira , 1914 in foreground of The Big Stone Mills. , . Charles Ira with the Big Stone Mill