Toomey's Mills facts for kids
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Toomey's Mills
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Formerly listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places
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 Location in Wyoming
Location in the United States
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| Location | 500 W. Main St., Newcastle, Wyoming |
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| NRHP reference No. | 08001062 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | November 13, 2008 |
| Removed from NRHP | December 11, 2013 |
Toomey's Mills was a very important building in Newcastle, Wyoming. It started way back in 1905. First, it was called the Newcastle Milling Company and Electric Light Plant. Later, it became known as Toomey's Mills.
This mill used to process wheat grown nearby. It kept working until 1965. The building was a famous local landmark. You could see "TOOMEY'S MILLS" painted clearly on the side of its tall elevator. For a while, it was even used as a restaurant. This is a cool example of adaptive reuse, which means finding a new purpose for an old building. Many of the original machines from the mill were still inside.
How the Mill Started
The first part of the mill was made of wood. A man named George C. Getchell built it. He hired Duling and Smith to help him. Their goal was to build a flour mill that could make 100 barrels of flour each day.
To get the stone for the building's foundation, they opened a quarry. This quarry was in a canyon just north of the town. The mill officially opened its doors on September 5, 1905.
The day before the mill opened, the town gave it a special permission. This allowed the mill to also provide electric light. The Western Electric Company from Omaha installed the equipment. This equipment made so much extra power that it even lit up the streetlights in town!
Growing Bigger and Better
In 1919, a man named D.J. Toomey bought the mill. He was from Spearfish, South Dakota. At that time, Toomey's Mill was the biggest flour mill in all of Wyoming. It made a special flour called "White Satin." This flour was sold to places up to 200 miles (320 km) away.
By 1936, the mill had grown a lot. It added more space for storing goods, called warehouses. It also had new offices. They built two silos using a special method. They used 2x6 pieces of lumber laid flat. They also built one silo out of concrete.
What Happened to the Mill?
Toomey's Mill was recognized as a special historical place. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2008. This list helps protect important buildings.
However, things changed. In March 2012, Toomey's Mill was torn down. A new convenience store was built in its place. Because of this, the site was removed from the National Register of Historic Places in 2013.
But the story doesn't end there! The bricks from the old mill were saved. They were then used to rebuild parts of the mill. You can now see these reconstructed parts at the entrance to Devils Tower.
