NEBRASKAland Magazine is dedicated to outstanding photography and informative writing with an engaging mix of articles and photos highlighting Nebraska’s outdoor activities, parklands, wildlife, history and people.
Issue link: http://mag.outdoornebraska.gov/i/440846
JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2015 • NEBRASKAland 17 of Neligh's from West Point, arrived and opened the first store. Lambert is credited with naming the new town "Neligh." Realizing the importance of having a flouring mill, John D. arranged for the burning of brick to build a substantial two-story mill building, 38 by 45 feet in size with full basement. Unfortunately, Neligh's involvement with his town was short-lived. Due to financial reverses, he was forced to suspend work on the mill. In April of 1874 he sold most of the townsite and unfinished mill building to William Lambert and his partner William C. Gallaway for $13,000. Gallaway, a native of Virginia, was a mover and shaker. He finished the mill, which restored local confidence that had been shaken by Neligh's departure. With improvements to the water power and milling machinery all installed, the Neligh Mill began full operation on September 10, 1874. Although the building was large enough to hold six sets of stone buhrs, the mill at first only had two runs of stone buhrs, later increased to four. Neligh intended his mill to do both custom or "exchange" work and merchant work. At custom mills, the farmer traded or exchanged his wheat for an established amount of flour, or he could have his grain milled, with the miller charging a certain amount of wheat for his fee. On the other hand, merchant mills were bigger operations, where owners or proprietors openly purchased wheat to produce larger amounts of flour for commercial sale. Merchant mills sold flour by the wagonload to distant customers and filled government contract orders. Successful mill operations depended on a reliable, steady power source. The key to water power use was to maintain an adequate water head, or the height of water backed up by a dam. The Neligh Mill Neligh Mill is located on N Street at Wylie Drive in Neligh. Open Memorial Day through Labor Day (Tuesday through Saturday – 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Sundays – 1 p.m to 5 p.m.) Closed all state holidays in the off-season. Admission: $3 for adults. Children with adults are free. Fees are waived for Nebraska State Historical Society members. For more information, contact: Neligh Mill State Historic Site PO Box 271 Neligh, NE 68756-0271 402-887-4303; harv.ofe@nebraska.gov The Neligh Mill, brush dam, flume and penstock are all visible in this 1884 photograph.