Linden Mill facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Linden Mill
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Mill, c. 1890
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| Location | 201 N. Main St., Linden, Michigan |
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| Area | 1 acre (0.40 ha) |
| Built | 1850 |
| NRHP reference No. | 72000615 |
| Added to NRHP | August 21, 1972 |
The Linden Mill is an old building in Linden, Michigan, that used to be a gristmill. A gristmill is a place where grain, like wheat or corn, is ground into flour. This historic building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1972, which means it's an important landmark. Today, the Linden Mill is home to the local library and a museum run by the Linden Mills Historical Society.
The Mill's Story
The first mills in Linden were built in 1837 and 1838. Sadly, these early mills burned down. In 1850, two men named Seth C. Sadler and M. Warren bought the land where the mills once stood. They then built the gristmill you see today. They also built a sawmill across the river. A sawmill is used to cut logs into lumber.
These two mills worked together and were known as the "Linden Mills." By 1864, Linden was a busy town with about 450 people. Many businesses in town, like furniture makers and carriage builders, depended on the mills. The sawmill burned down again during the American Civil War, but it was quickly rebuilt.
Changes Over Time
In 1864, Israel B. Hyatt bought the mills. Around 1880, Myron Harris took over the business. At some point, the sawmill was taken down. However, the gristmill kept running for many years, until 1956.
After the gristmill closed, its water wheel was sold. The village of Linden then bought the mill building. They planned to use it as a library and for town offices. The building was updated and opened as a community center in 1961. In 1971, a new water wheel from an old mill was put in place. The town offices moved out of the building in the 1960s. In 1976, the Linden Mills Historical Society Museum opened inside the building. As of 2018, both the library and the museum are still located in this historic old mill.
What the Mill Looks Like
The Linden Mill is a 2-and-a-half-story building made of wood. It sits on a stone foundation that you can see on the side facing the river. The building is about 30 feet wide and 60 feet long. It has a pointed roof, called a gable roof, with two small windows sticking out on each side. These small windows are called dormers.
The outside of the mill is covered with horizontal wooden boards called clapboard. The windows have six small panes of glass on the top and six on the bottom. On the river side, there are windows on all three levels, making it look like a three-story building. The front of the mill has a small roof that sticks out, covering the entire width of the building.
