Marine on St. Croix in Washington County, Minnesota — The American Midwest (Upper Plains)
Technological Revolution
James Taylor Dunn, The St. Croix:
Midwest Border River, 1979
The stone ruins before you include the foundation of the smokestack and portions of the walls of the powerhouse that once contained a steam engine. The artist's rendering shows the mill and powerhouse as they may have looked just before they were finally shutdown in 1895.
Silent witness to technological revolution
When this sawmill opened in 1839, a slow-turning undershot waterwheel powered its single saw blade. By 1852 a 40-foot-tall overshot wheel (see diagram below, left) driven by water from the newly constructed millpond (across Judd Street) had been installed. This wheel powered multiple saw blades that could process more than two million board feet of lumber a year. In 1873 the Walker, Judd and Veazie Lumber Company remodeled the mill, installing a 50-horsepower steam engine that was linked by belts to faster circular and gang saws. Operating as Anderson and O'Brien in 1888, the mill boasted a new 150-horsepower steam engine, electric lights, and a planing mill. When the mill closed for good in 1895, the frame buildings were torn down and the equipment sold to firms in Minneapolis and Stillwater.
Marine Mill
Erected by the Minnesota Historical Society.
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Industry & Commerce. In addition, it is included in the Minnesota Historical Society series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1979.
Location. 45° 11.896′ N, 92° 46.086′ W. Marker is in Marine on St. Croix, Minnesota, in Washington County. Marker can be reached from Judd Street south of Maple Street, on the left when traveling south. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Marine on Saint Croix MN 55047, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Boom, Then Bust (within shouting distance of this marker); The Pineries are Gone (within shouting distance of this marker); Historic Marine on St. Croix (within shouting distance of this marker); St. Croix National Scenic Riverway (within shouting distance of this marker); Marine Mill Site (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); Powerhouse and Kiln (about 300 feet away); Minnesota's First Commercial Sawmill (about 400 feet away); Marine (about 500 feet away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Marine on St. Croix.
More about this marker. [photo and diagram captions]
• Mill powerhouse ruins, about 1900, Minnesota Historical Society
• Walker, Judd and Veazie Lumber Company sawmill, 1882, Minnesota Historical Society
• Overshot wheel, David Geister rendering (2000), Minnesota Historical Society
• What the mill and powerhouse buildings may have looked like in 1895. David Geister rendering (2000), Minnesota Historical Society
Credits. This page was last revised on June 16, 2016. It was originally submitted on April 5, 2012, by Keith L of Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin. This page has been viewed 509 times since then and 4 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on April 5, 2012, by Keith L of Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin.