Arcola Mills facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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John and Martin Mower House and Arcola Mill Site
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The Mower House from the southeast
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 Location in Minnesota
Location in the United States
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| Location | 12905 Arcola Trail N., Arcola, Minnesota |
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| Area | 2 acres (0.81 ha) |
| Built | 1847 |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival |
| MPS | Washington County MRA (AD) |
| NRHP reference No. | 80000407 |
| Designated NRHP | June 17, 1980 |
Arcola Mills is a very old house in a small community called Arcola, Minnesota. It was built in 1847. This makes it one of the oldest and largest wooden houses still standing in Minnesota.
The house was home to brothers Martin and John Mower. They started one of the first sawmills on the St. Croix River. They also built the community around it. The house and the old mill parts were listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1980. This means they are important historical sites. They show us a lot about early architecture, how the area was settled, and the lumber industry. The property is a great example of Greek Revival architecture style. Today, Arcola Mills is a non-profit center for events and education.
About Arcola Mills
Arcola Mills is about 7 miles (11 km) north of Stillwater, Minnesota. The house is a two-story building made of wood. It has wooden boards on the outside.
When it was first built, the house was a simple rectangle. It was about 36 feet (11 m) by 50 feet (15 m). The Mower brothers added more rooms in the 1870s. However, these additions have since been removed.
The front of the house faces the river. It has a large porch that goes all the way across. Above the porch is a deck that you can reach from the upstairs. The house shows features of Greek Revival style. These include tall, flat columns on the corners. It also has triangular shapes above the windows.
The sawmill was a short distance north of the house. You can still see a 40-foot (12 m) tall stone chimney there. A small summer cottage from the 1900s was built right next to the chimney. It sits on the mill's old foundation. Other old parts of the mill include a base for an engine and a raised area for a water channel.
How Arcola Mills Started
John Mower came from Maine. He moved to St. Croix Falls, Wisconsin, in 1842 to work in the lumber business. His brother Martin moved to Stillwater the next year. John soon joined him on the Minnesota side of the river.
In 1847, Martin and three business partners started the sawmill. It was located north of town. Two partners quickly left the business. John then bought into the company. The brothers built their home right next to the mill. They also created the town of Arcola for their workers. The town had a general store, a one-room schoolhouse, a boarding house, and shops. These shops were for carpentry, blacksmithing, and building boats.
John Mower was a part of the Minnesota Territorial Legislature in 1854. Mower County was named after him. Martin Mower managed the St. Croix Boom Company. John had a wife and children. Martin, however, never married.
The first sawmill used a huge 34-foot (10 m) water wheel for power. This wheel was in a special building over a stream. In 1856, the Mowers rebuilt the mill. They switched to steam power, which doubled how much wood they could cut each year. Three years later, they put in a new steam engine and other machines. This more than doubled their output again. But by the 1870s, the brothers were busy with other things. They decided to close the mill.
Later Years of Arcola Mills
The Mower family continued to own the house. But by the mid-1930s, it was empty. A newly married couple, Henry and Katharine Van Meier, found it while looking for ferns. They loved the old house and bought it to use as a summer home.
Over the years, they gathered a collection of small cottages on their 50-acre (20 ha) property. They used these cottages for friends, family, and artists.
Katharine Van Meier passed away in the early 1990s. In her will, she set up the Arcola Mills Historic Foundation. This foundation was created to protect the property. Volunteers raised money and largely restored the house in the early 2000s.
Today, Arcola Mills is mainly used as a place for events. From 2010 to 2013, the house also had a visitor center. This center was run by volunteers for the St. Croix National Scenic Riverway. However, this partnership with the National Park Service did not work out well for the foundation. They could not earn money from renting the space.
