Event in a period mill May 2005

[johan_steele]

Would anyone here be interested in supporting through some volunteer time or possible dedicating themselves to attend an event in May 2005 at Motor Mill Iowa? The site was built in 1869 and has a mill, barn, inn & cooperage alll quite intact. The idea is to promote the location and if we have a nice CW event at the same time that would be a big bonus. THere would be no battle of any type @ the location. It is a real opportunity to do a Living History at a location not crowwded by the sounds and sights of traffic & the 21st century. It is seven miles from the nearest blacktop road and there is no city built around it.

Any support would be appreciated.

[unionblue]

Shane,

Never been to Iowa. Keep me in mind though, as I would love to do my presentation or help out with a living history event.

Unionblue

[unionblue]

Shane,

You got a city or address I can use to plot a driving map to this event?

It would help me to figure out if it is possible for me to get there in good shape for a weekend event.

Unionblue

[scone]

This sounds interesting. I sent the info to my Capt of my unit and will see what he thinks.. All the info you can give me on the event, location how to get there etc.. will be a big help..

regards, steven

[scone]

in a quick search of Motor mill Iowa here is some info i found.

Photo of mill: http://www.quintascott.com/Images/MotorMill

Jack Thompson claimed a mill site on the Turkey River in Clayton County, Iowa with the intention of building the town of Motor.
He completed the mill in 1869. Thompson's dream of a thriving town died when a siege of chinch bugs destroyed the Iowa wheat crop.


On another site:
Motor Mill is located on the Turkey River six miles down stream from Elkader, Iowa. This six story structure stands approximately fifty feet wide, sixty feet long and eighty feet high with walls that are five feet thick at the bottom, tapering to two feet at the top. The huge limestone blocks were quarried and transported by cable car from the bluffs above the mill. The mill, built by John Thompson, displays the handiwork of four skilled German masons from Communia. Each wall was constructed by a different mason who was trying to outdo the other masons. Three sides were laid with carefully chipped rounded stone while the fourth, the intake side, was laid with perfectly square cut stone. No two sides are alike. All beams were pegged in and not one nail was used in construction. The wheels and burrs were imported from Italy. Well over one hundred years old, the mill shows no sign of settling. Although the exact date is not certain, it is believed to have been built in 1855. That date was found etched in a stone near the top of the structure. The mill is now owned and managed by the Clayton County Conservation Board.


On the site of the the Historic gristmill are four other limestone buildings erected between 1840-1870 [Cooperage, Ice House, Inn, Livery Stable]& Iron bridge & they all sit on approximately 20 acres of Land.


A little more:
In the early 1860s John Thompson, JP Dickinson and James O. Crosby formed a partnership to build a grist mill, sawmill, farm and town at Hastings Bottom, the site of an earlier sawmill near the Turkey River. For an unknown reason, the town was renamed Motor. Thompson and his associates spent around $50,000 to build the mill and $40,000 for equiptment and outbuildings. The mill and cooperage were built in the late 1860s, and the other buildings in the 1870s. The town of Motor was prosperous for a while, and a railroad was begun that would link it with the town of McGregor on the Mississippi River. But a flood in 1875 washed out the rails and any hopes of rebuilding it. Invasions of insects in 1867, 1871, and 1887 destroyed all the wheat in northeast iowa. The mill ceased operation in the 1880s. The mill was sold for $12,000. After being used as a farm for 80 years by the Klink family, the Clayton County purchased the remains of the town in 1983. A canoe access was addedd nearby, and the old bridge built in 1895 with soon be repaired or replaced to accomodate walkers, bikers, and horses.

[unionblue]

Steven,

Thanks for the information. It will help a bit in figuring out where the place is and what its history was.

Unionblue

[scone]

For idea on the area just look for Elkader, Iowa. I used yahoo and according to it .. its a 11hr drive for me..

Steven

[unionblue]

Steven,

It's a 10 hour drive for me. Maybe we could link up and share a ride and the gas.

Unionblue

[johan_steele]

Gents, I'm sorry I didn't get back to you quicker; I've been fighting a bug for a week and it's been seriously dragging me down the last couple days. Yes, Motor Mill is in Elkader Iowa, all of Stevens info is spot on, though it missed the second disaster which was the breaking of the dam which flooded the area; which causes problems to this day. This event is still in the preliminary planning stages, I'm hoping to get at least 20 rifles and some civilians to dedicate themselves. As of now I have about a third of that, so I'm confident we can make this work. THe Clayton County Conservation Board has been doing yeomans work geting the site presentable again, you can now safely go through all of the building except the barn/livery stable (which they use for storage)this is an area that floods every few years and the damage was severe in 93 and several times since then. They want to make public interest steady year round, they already hold a Small Buckskinners Rendevous & an annual Motor Mill open house, and this would be one more event that would garner that much more attention.

PLenty of wood is available on the hillside above the mill which could make some good work detail jobs, there is potable water on site and a permenant privy (concrete & wood instead of plastic) we would be asked to camp on the campground site which is IIRC about 150 yards from the mill site.

The tentattive schedule is the 3rd weekend in May 2005.
This is to be a Living History Camp representing the winter/spring of 1863/64. Union representation will be 3rd IA VI (which was largely raised from the Clayton County & NE Iowa area) THere will be no skirmishing, though if a CS unit wished to attend a second camp representing who these Iowa boys were fighting and what they thought of each other might be interesting... though galvanizing might be the best option.


THe idea is to totally immerse ourselves (re-enactors) in December 1863, the public will be ignored unless they are in period garb in which case the interaction and treatment will be that of a civilian. Which can be a bit of fun as the guides are busily talking to themselves... "Surgeon, we got a mad man over here." I'm hoping to recruit 3-4 guides who will be in period garb and they will be giving guided tours through the camp. At the very least we currently have a medical demonstrator who is interested as well as a Pioneer, and elements of the 32nd IA, my own unit the 3rd MN is interested as is a few from the 2nd MN. But I need concrete interest as well as some help, I've been drawing up event guidelines, schedule etc and would like to have them proofed and suggestions. I'll go ahead and post these.

Steven & Neil... thanks for the interest.

[johan_steele]

THis is the long range plan of priorities of the Mill, so that we all know where they are coming from.


MOTOR MILL ADVISORY COMMITTEE
LONG-RANGE PLAN AND PRIORITIES
UPDATED FEBRUARY 8, 2003

MISSION STATEMENT- To protect and preserve the architectural integrity, history, natural beauty and serenity of the Motor Mill site and its surroundings and to develop appropriate uses and interpretation as a regional treasure for the benefit of future generations.


Public Input- Request public input to gather and explore all possible avenues for the site.
1. Call a public meeting and present our strategic plan and request public input.
2. Develop a list of questions for public input.
3. Contact service organizations and present to these groups during the spring and summer

Strategic Planning
1. Establish Partnerships
A. Artists
B. Architects
C. Stone Masons
D. Corporate Sponsors
E. Water Mills in Operation
F. Marketing Consultants
G. Organizations
Clayton County Historical Preservation Commission
Keep Iowa Beautiful
Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation
Silos and Smokestacks
2. History of the site
3. Educational opportunities at the site
4. Access to the site
5. Marketing of the site
6. Explore Financial resources