Schech's Mill facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Schech Mill
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Schech's Mill in 2011
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 Location in Minnesota
Location in the United States
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| Nearest city | Caledonia, Minnesota |
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| Built | 1875 |
| NRHP reference No. | 78001548 |
| Added to NRHP | January 31, 1978 |
Schech's Mill is a very old and special mill located in Houston County, Minnesota, United States. It's a place where grain was once ground into flour using the power of water! This mill is one of only three watermills in Minnesota that still work using only water power. What makes it even more unique is that it's the only one that still has its original, old millstones.
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Discovering Schech's Mill
Schech's Mill was built in 1876 by a person named John Blinn. A little later, a miller from Minneapolis named Michael Schech bought it. Michael Schech had moved to America from a place called Bavaria in Germany.
What the Mill Made
This mill was very busy making different kinds of flour and cereal. It produced things like cornmeal, rye buckwheat, wheat flour, graham flour, and whole wheat cereal. These products were then sold in nearby towns like Caledonia and Houston, Minnesota. Imagine how many loaves of bread and bowls of cereal were made from the flour ground here!
How the Mill Works
Schech's Mill is amazing because it still has all its original machinery from the 1870s. This means you can see how mills worked a long, long time ago. Back then, they used big, round stones called millstones to grind the grain. Later, newer machines called roller mills became popular, but Schech's Mill kept its old ways. In 1922, the original wooden dam that helped power the mill was replaced with a stronger concrete one.
A Special Location
The mill is found in a unique area known as the Driftless Area. This part of the American Midwest is famous for its deep river valleys. It's a beautiful place with lots of hills and rivers, which is perfect for a water-powered mill!
Visiting the Mill
If you're curious to see how a historic mill works, you can arrange a visit to Schech's Mill. During most summer weekends, you can take a private tour. You might even get to see a real flour grinding demonstration! It's a great way to step back in time and learn about how food was made long ago.
