(KWNO)-The water rushing outside can still power the Pickwick Mill. A group of students from Blooming Prairie got the full effect recently when volunteers fired up the mill’s machinery for their tour, including a 20-foot water wheel.
The Pickwick Mill was completed in 1858 and operated until the 1970’s.
“For a group this big we’ll get it going and it only takes about a gallon of water to keep the big wheel going,” says volunteer Chuck Toulouse.
The Pickwick Mill was completed in 1858 and became a hub for farmers from as far away as Mankato. During the Civil War the mill ran night and day helping to feed the Union Army. At its peak the mill produced over 100 barrels of flour a day.
Operating until the late 1970’s, the mill was damaged by a flood in 1980. Two years later a group of local citizens bought the mill and started restoring it.
Today it’s on the National Register of Historic Places and a must-see for history buffs and school field trips. Valita Beckett came with a group of students from the Prairie Mennonite School.
“This amazing, what I wouldn’t give for a slower pace of life. It’s community and we take so much for granted,” says Beckett.
Students visiting the Pickwick Mill
The Pickwick Mill has a museum on the 4th floor and is open to visitors Sunday through Thursday.
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