National Register of Historic Places

Cedarburg Woolen Co. Worsted Mill

Grafton, Ozaukee County, Wisconsin
Listed
June 29, 1983
Type
Building
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
83003408

About this property

The Cedarburg Woolen Co. Worsted Mill is a former woolen mill on the Milwaukee River in Grafton, Wisconsin. In the late-1800s, the Cedarburg Woolen Company in neighboring Cedarburg decided to expand their production by opening a second mill. The mill was constructed next to the Grafton Flour Mill in 1880 at a cost of $40,000 to make worsted yarn and was the only one of its kind west of Philadelphia. In 1882, a group of investors bought the mill and formed the Grafton Worsted Company. Diedrich Wittenberg, the president of the group, was also the owner of the Cedarburg Woolen Company. In 1902, Wittenberg's son and his son-in-law purchased the building and formed the Badger Worsted Company, which combed, spun, dyed and packaged yarn in the building until 1980. During the Great Depression, the company acquired the neighboring Grafton Flour Mill and converted it to worsted yarn production as well. The building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1983, and currently houses shops, offices, and studios. At its height, the Grafton mill employed 100 people.

Location

1350 14th Ave.
Grafton, Ozaukee County, Wisconsin
43.31744, -87.96137

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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Nearby Historic Sites

Grafton Flour Mill
Industrial
0.1 mi
Milwaukee Falls Lime Company
Listed
0.8 mi
Columbia Historic District
Listed
1.5 mi
Washington Avenue Historic District
Early Republic
1.8 mi
Hilgen and Wittenberg Woolen Mill
Industrial
1.8 mi

Nearby Battles

Wisconsin Draft Resistance — Washington County
1862Civil War
7.8 mi

Questions about this property

When was Cedarburg Woolen Co. Worsted Mill listed on the National Register?

Cedarburg Woolen Co. Worsted Mill was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on June 29, 1983.

What type of historic resource is Cedarburg Woolen Co. Worsted Mill?

Cedarburg Woolen Co. Worsted Mill is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Cedarburg Woolen Co. Worsted Mill?

The period of significance for Cedarburg Woolen Co. Worsted Mill is recorded as the industrial era.

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