National Register of Historic Places

Victoria Grist Windmill

Victoria, Victoria County, Texas
Listed
April 29, 1976
Type
Structure
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
76002079

About this property

Victoria Grist Windmill is an historic gristmill in Memorial Square in Victoria, Texas, United States. The windmill was added to the National Register of Historic Places on April 30, 1976, and became an American Society of Mechanical Engineers Landmark in May 1991. The windmill was built in 1870 and is probably the last remaining windmill of European design in the Southwestern United States. Standing 35 feet high and supporting four 15-foot blades, the Dutch turret-mill style windmill was constructed by German immigrant Fred Meiss, Jr. and Otto Fiek near Spring Creek. The turret-style allowed the top to be turned so the sails face the wind. The millstones were made in Germany, and Rudolph Witte brought them through the port of Indianola in the 1840s. The stones were capable of grinding 500 pounds of cornmeal a week. The walls of the mill are constructed of wooden logs and covered with shakes. In 1935, the Victoria Grist Windmill was moved from its earlier location (west of Victoria) to Memorial Square. Due to neglect, the windmill was removed in the 1990s.

Location

Victoria, Victoria County, Texas
28.80068, -97.00025

Categories

INDUSTRYAGRICULTUREENGINEERING
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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Native Heritage
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Nearby Historic Sites

Victoria County Monument
Industrial
0.1 mi
Schummacker Company Building
Industrial
0.1 mi
House at 401 East Stayton
Industrial
0.1 mi
Calhoun Bakery
Industrial
0.1 mi
Jordan-Koch House
Industrial
0.1 mi

Nearby Battles

Great Comanche Raid on Victoria and Linnville
1840Early Republic
0.4 mi
Great Raid of 1840 – Sack of Victoria
1840Early Republic
0.4 mi
Great Comanche Raid of 1840 — Victoria and Linnville Raids
1840Early Republic
6.1 mi

Questions about this property

When was Victoria Grist Windmill listed on the National Register?

Victoria Grist Windmill was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on April 29, 1976.

What type of historic resource is Victoria Grist Windmill?

Victoria Grist Windmill is classified as a structure in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Victoria Grist Windmill?

The period of significance for Victoria Grist Windmill is recorded as the industrial era.

Can I research the history near Victoria Grist Windmill?

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