Nebraska Historical Marker: The Beaver Crossing Mill

Location

Elk St, Beaver Crossing, Seward County, Nebraska

View this marker's location 40.776603, -97.27753

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Marker Text

This millstone is believed to be from the gristmill built by William Smith in 1871 on the Big Blue River south of Beaver Crossing. W. J. Thompson took over the mill in 1873, and it continued to operate until about 1917. Gristmills were an essential industry for the settlement of Nebraska, processing locally-grown grain into flour, cornmeal, and feed. There may have been as many as 160 water-powered mills in Nebraska in 1890, before their numbers began to decline.

Bibliography

Thomas R Buecker, "Nebraska Flour Mill Buildings, Structure and Style, 1854-1936," Nebraska History 66 (1985): 145-163

Marker program

See Nebraska Historical Marker Program for more information.