National Register of Historic Places

Rockford Mill

Rockford, Floyd County, Iowa
Listed
July 27, 1983
Type
Building
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
83000358

About this property

Rockford Mill is a historic building located in Rockford, Iowa, United States. Vermont native J.T. Graham learned the milling profession in Sacramento, California during the California Gold Rush. After moving to Iowa in 1853 he built and operated several mills in the state. In 1871 he built the Rockford Mill with partner D.D. Cutler. It is a two-story gable building on a stone foundation. A shed roofed addition was built onto the east side of the building later. Graham was sole proprietor after 1875. What made this mill unique in Floyd County was that 90% of the work was custom grinding. It processed wheat, buckwheat, cornmeal and feed. Several owners operated the mill after Graham's death. H.W. Winston was unsuccessful at making electricity for the town in 1899. The dam was added in 1918. Rockford Light and Power Company operated the building in 1913 and Cedar Valley Electric Company from 1916 to 1920. They combined feed milling with water and power production. Feed milling continued until World War II when it had to be suspended because of a labor shortage. By the time the war ended the mill pond had silted in and the dam deteriorated, so the operator had to rely on electrical power alone in 1952. It was the last feed mill operation left in the county by that time. The decline in farming operations brought local feed milling to an end. The building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1983.

Location

Rockford, Floyd County, Iowa
42.96033, -92.94220

Categories

INDUSTRYARCHITECTURE
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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Nearby Historic Sites

Tyden Farm No. 6 Farmstead Historic District
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3.7 mi
River Street Bridge
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3.8 mi
Marble Rock Bank
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3.8 mi
Coldwater Church of the Brethren
Industrial
8.2 mi
Hawkeye Street Underpass
Industrial
12.8 mi

Questions about this property

When was Rockford Mill listed on the National Register?

Rockford Mill was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on July 27, 1983.

What type of historic resource is Rockford Mill?

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

What is the period of significance for Rockford Mill?

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

Can I research the history near Rockford Mill?

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