In my younger days, when we lived on a farm, I always enjoyed the chance to go with a truckload of grain to the mill in town. That mill ran on electricity. Earlier mills built by the first European settlers ran on water power and one of those mills has been restored and is open for visitors in a Rock County park just west of Beloit.
First stop is the Creamery, which serves as the Visitors Center and souvenir store.
Down a gravel path, past the barn, is the Cooperage Museum. This building served as the home of the Beckman family for many years.
A cooper makes barrels. Like this.
With wood working tools like these.
This briefly tells the story of the Beckman Mill but skimps on how it served the local farmers for almost 100 years.
That story is told inside the mill.
This diagram illustrates the route of the grain as it enters the mill and becomes sifted flour.
A knowledgeable volunteer is on hand to explain the process and start up the machinery.
An actual millstone is on display. The desk next to the doorway was for recording the amount of grain as it came in.
We went upstairs and down to see all of the parts of the mill.
It’s all run by gears and levers.
All the machinery has to be kept oiled.
There’s an auxiliary engine in the basement.
It came off of this old tractor, on display in the yard outside.
I imagined what it would be like to drive such a beast.
We stopped to admire the millpond and the dam on such a beautiful day.
And stopped back at the Visitor’s Center to buy a bag of cornmeal, ground at the mill.
RADIOSCRIBE 