Hadley Flour and Feed Mill facts for kids
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Hadley Flour and Feed Mill
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 Location in Michigan
Location in the United States
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| Location | 3633 Hadley Road Hadley Township, Michigan |
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| Built | 1874 |
| Architect | Peter Slimmer |
| NRHP reference No. | 86002770 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | September 25, 1986 |
The Hadley Flour and Feed Mill is a historic building in Hadley Township, Michigan. It's a special place that shows us what life was like long ago. This old mill was added to the National Register of Historic Places and became a Michigan State Historic Site on September 25, 1986.
Contents
The Hadley Mill: A Historic Landmark
The Hadley Flour and Feed Mill is found in a quiet, rural area of Lapeer County, Michigan. It's not just one building, but a site with several structures. The main building is a two-and-a-half-story wooden mill. It has a full basement and is painted white and red. This color scheme was very common for mills back in the day.
Built for a Growing Community
This mill was built in 1874 by a person named Peter Slimmer. It was placed right next to a small stream called Mill Creek. The mill was very important during a time when farming was booming in Lapeer County. Many mills like this were built to help farmers process their crops. Today, the Hadley Mill is one of only about 60 similar mills left in Michigan.
A Mill with a Long History
The mill you see today is actually the third one built on this spot. The very first mill was constructed in 1845. Another one followed in the early 1860s. The current building has been repaired many times over the years to keep it standing strong.
From Grinding Grain to Making Power
Originally, the mill was a gristmill. This means it used water power to grind grain into flour or feed for animals. It even stood on stilts so water could flow underneath! In 1924, things changed. The mill was updated to produce electricity instead of grinding grain. To do this, the ponds and the dam on the creek were removed. This change showed how technology was advancing in the 1900s.
A Museum for Everyone
The mill stopped operating in 1964. After that, it was used as an office and apartment building for a while. But then, it was turned into a park and museum! It's now known as the Hadley Mill Museum. In 2002, the property was given to Hadley Township. A charming covered bridge was added recently to make the park even more beautiful.
