National Register of Historic Places

Meek's Flour Mill

Bonaparte, Van Buren County, Iowa
Listed
January 27, 1983
Type
Building
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
83000406

About this property

Meek's Flour Mill is a historic building located in Bonaparte, Iowa, United States. William Meek and Dr. R.N. Cresap laid out the town of Meek's Mill in 1837. Although the town was renamed Bonaparte in 1841, the Meek family had a central role in its development through the turn of the 20th century. The present building is a three-story, gable roofed, rectangular structure that was built on a raised basement of ashlar limestone blocks. It was constructed in 1878 by William's son Robert, who had succeeded his father in running the family businesses. He was assisted by his brothers Isaiah and Joseph. It replaced the original 1844 mill, which had been destroyed in a fire. While built on the same site, it is unknown if any part of the present structure was a part of the original mill. Two other structures belonging to the Meek's family are located nearby: a woolen mill (1853), and a saw mill (1860). The mill was operated by Grant C. Scott and Stephen Blackburn by 1900, and Daniel Cresap was the last miller who operated the mill when a flood destroyed the dam in 1905. The building was left vacant for 21 years until a feed store was housed here from 1928 to 1963. The Farmers Cooperative Association occupied the building until 1977. It was then converted into a restaurant. The building was individually listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1983. Six years later it was included as a contributing property in the Bonaparte Historic Riverfront District.

Location

1st St.
Bonaparte, Van Buren County, Iowa
40.69795, -91.80425

Categories

COMMERCE
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

Unlimited access

Everything a full report reveals about Meek's Flour Mill

This page lists Meek's Flour Mill. A full Aubrey report for an address near it pulls together this listing alongside battlefield records, land patents, and every other historical record within a chosen radius:

Overview
An interactive map of the location with historic sites, battles and Native heritage plotted, and its full story era by era.
The Land
The historic sites and place names around the location, and how this land was settled and used.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks and old features hidden in the landscape.
Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.
Historical Maps
Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.
Finds & Access
Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.
Literature
The old books, county histories and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from first peoples to the present day.
First month just $5.99, then $11.99 a month. Unlimited locations, cancel anytime.

Every location is different. Not every section appears for every place, only what the historical record actually holds turns up in a report.

Start your Meek's Flour Mill report
Or see a real report first

Nearby Historic Sites

Bonaparte Historic Riverfront District
Civil War
0.1 mi
Aunty Green Hotel
Industrial
0.2 mi
Bonaparte Pottery Archeological District
Civil War
0.2 mi
Paine, Samuel and Mercy, House
Industrial
2.9 mi
Vernon School
Industrial
3.2 mi

Nearby Battles

Battle of Athens, Missouri
1861Civil War
9.2 mi
Battle of Athens Missouri — Iowa Troops
1861Civil War
11.4 mi
Battle of Athens
1861Civil War
11.5 mi

Questions about this property

When was Meek's Flour Mill listed on the National Register?

Meek's Flour Mill was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on January 27, 1983.

What type of historic resource is Meek's Flour Mill?

Meek's Flour Mill is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Meek's Flour Mill?

The period of significance for Meek's Flour Mill is recorded as the industrial era.

Can I research the history near Meek's Flour Mill?

Yes. Aubrey Research reports search National Register listings, battlefield records, land patents, and other primary historical sources within any radius of a US address. A report for an address near Meek's Flour Mill will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.

More in Van Buren County

Historic places, battles, and census history across Van Buren County.

Explore Van BurenCounty ›

More historic places in Iowa

Browse all historic places in Iowa.

View Iowahistoric sites ›

Conflict records

Explore 19,000+ military engagements across American history.

Browse US conflicts ›

Iowa history

Colonial settlement, territorial period, and statehood narrative.

Iowahistory ›

Research the history near this site

An Aubrey US report for an address near Meek's Flour Mill will include this listing alongside battlefield records and other historical sources within your chosen radius.

Research your locationView a free sample report