July 2023 • Nebraskaland 37
diesel engine to provide reliable power.
Several years later, mill owners tried
to return to water power, but gave up
after a fl ood in 1920.
Meanwhile, new technology was
changing the process of milling
itself. After two millennia, the use
of millstones became obsolete in the
1880s with the invention of steel
roller mills. The rows of roller mills at
Neligh may look old fashioned today,
but at the time, they represented a big
investment in the latest technology to
greatly increase the mill's output.
Neligh Mill produced its last
fl our in 1959. It continued grinding
livestock feed for another 10 years
before closing entirely. Fortunately
for us, the owners left everything
in place so that the mill could teach
future generations about Nebraska's
agricultural history.
N
Starting in the mid-1880s, roller mills replaced millstones — also known as burrs —
and sped up the milling process. HISTORY NEBRASKA
The 1903 dam was stronger and taller to provide more power for the mill.
HISTORY NEBRASKA, RG3551-0-17
Would you cross the rickety
suspension bridge over the dam? Circa
1915 photo. HISTORY NEBRASKA, RG2836-0-1599
Stacks of Gold Medal fl our in 1909.
General Mills bought exclusive rights
to the Gold Medal name in 1940.
HISTORY NEBRASKA, RG3551-0-29
The dam is gone, but the fl ume
remains beside the river, though no
longer connects to it. The wooden
structure at front center is the
headgate, which regulated the fl ow of
water into the fl ume. On the right end
of the fl ume is the penstock, which
houses the turbine. The big fl ywheel
was connected by a long belt to
another wheel inside the basement.
HISTORY NEBRASKA
Visit History Nebraska's website at
history.nebraska.gov.
