National Register of Historic Places

Rhodes Mill

Fertile, Worth County, Iowa
Listed
November 24, 1978
Type
Building
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
78001274

About this property

Rhodes Mill is a historic structure located in Fertile, Iowa, United States. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1978. William Rhodes moved to Fertile Township in Worth County, Iowa from Ontario in 1856. The following year he opened a saw mill along what is now known as the Winnebago River. During the American Civil War he enlisted in the 32nd Iowa Infantry. After he was discharged in 1865 the town of Fertile grew around his mill. Iowa's wheat production increased after the war. Rhodes built a flour mill on the same site in 1868. It had a capacity of 50 barrels of flour per day, and by 1884 he was doing around $10,000 worth of business a year. He and his son remained in business until 1918. The mill itself is a 2½-story, rectangular, frame structure built on a rubblestone foundation. The building originally measured 42 by 34 feet (13 by 10 m). It was extended to a length of 56 feet (17 m) when a two-story residential space was added. A small shed was added to the facility in 1919, and a concrete dam was built across the river in 1929.

Location

Fertile, Worth County, Iowa
43.26384, -93.42128

Categories

INDUSTRY
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.

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Overview
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The Land
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Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
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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
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Finds & Access
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Literature
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Spotlight
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Timeline
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Nearby Historic Sites

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Pilot Knob State Park: Portals in Area 5b
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Pilot Knob State Park, Observation Tower (Area 2)
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Pilot Knob State Park, Trail Area (Area 6a-6c)
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Pilot Knob State Park, Portals (Area 5a)
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7.4 mi

Questions about this property

When was Rhodes Mill listed on the National Register?

Rhodes Mill was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on November 24, 1978.

What type of historic resource is Rhodes Mill?

Rhodes Mill is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Rhodes Mill?

The period of significance for Rhodes Mill is recorded as the industrial era.

Can I research the history near Rhodes Mill?

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