Fox River Paper Company Historic District facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Fox River Paper Company Historic District
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The Fox River Paper Company Mills
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 Location in Wisconsin
Location in the United States
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| Location | 405-406, 415 S. Olde Oneida St., Appleton, Wisconsin |
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| Area | 5 acres (2.0 ha) |
| Built | 1883-1915 |
| Architect | E.D. Jones |
| Architectural style | Romanesque and Italianate |
| NRHP reference No. | 90000639 |
| Added to NRHP | April 19, 1990 |
The Fox River Paper Company Historic District, also known as the Historic Fox River Mills, is a group of old paper mill buildings in Appleton, Wisconsin. These buildings were constructed between 1883 and 1915. Today, they are used as apartments, but they still have a working system that uses water power to make electricity! This area along the Lower Fox River is famous for being the oldest place in the United States to generate electricity from water power, a tradition that started way back in the 1880s.
Contents
The Historic Fox River Mills
The Historic Fox River Mills are a collection of buildings that used to be a big paper factory. They are located in Appleton, Wisconsin. This group of buildings is considered a "historic district." This means the area is important because of its history and special architecture.
What Makes These Mills Special?
The district includes several unique buildings. One is the Ravine/Rag Mills, built in a style called Romanesque. Another is the Lincoln Mill, which first processed flour before making paper. The Fox River Mill is also part of the group. Both the Lincoln Mill and the Fox River Mill were built in the Italianate style.
Power from the River
A really cool part of the Fox River Mills is the hydroelectric system. This system uses the power of moving water to create electricity. There's a special canal and a power station that are still working today. This tradition of making electricity from water power started in the 1880s. The Lower Fox River is known as the oldest region in the United States for generating hydroelectric power. This shows how innovative people were back then, using natural resources to power their industries.
From Paper to Apartments
For many years, these buildings were busy paper mills, producing paper for various uses. Over time, the way paper was made changed, and the mills eventually stopped operating as paper factories. Instead of tearing them down, the buildings were given a new life. They were carefully renovated and turned into modern apartments. This way, the historic buildings are preserved, and people can live in a place with a rich history.
