Thorp Mill
Encyclopedia
Thorp Mill is an historic building located in Thorp, Washington
.
On November 23, 1977, the Thorp Mill was placed on the National Register of Historic Places
.
The landmark is maintained by the Thorp Mill Town Historical Preservation Society, which aims to preserve the mill for the benefit of the local community and to make it available for the benefit of people seeking to understand American culture and history. To this end, the organization now devotes itself to developing the mill site both as an interpretive site and as a gathering place for community activities, maintaining and fostering the close sense of community and family and the enterprising spirit that is the town of Thorp's heritage, while allowing it to carry those values forward into the future and into the world community.
In 1878, James L. Mills traversed the trail over the Cascade Mountains from Puget Sound
by foot, and saw great possibilities in the Kittitas Valley. He built a sawmill
west of the current town site in 1879, diverting water from the Yakima River to turn its wheels. The sawmill had a capacity of 7,000 feet daily.
Not content with the sawmill, Mills devised a way for the same wheels to power the North Star Mill, a gristmill
that Oren Hutchinson had built at the town of Thorp in 1883, to provide feed for livestock
and flour
for the local residents. The four-story mill provided farmers throughout the Kittitas Valley with the convenience of local processing for wheat
crops, as well as serving as an important hub for community activities. The North Star Mill was best known for its leading brand "Tip Top".
In 1907, the energy from the water wheel at the North Star Mill was utilized to power a steam generator
having a 40-horsepower
dynamo
, which furnished electricity
for laundering clothes two mornings each week, and for lighting homes for a few hours each evening. This gave Thorp the distinction of being among the first towns in Washington to have electricity, and the smallest unincorporated town in the Northwest to have electric lights.
The Thorp Mill continued active operation until its closure in 1946. On November 23, 1977, it was placed on the National Register of Historic Places
.
water brought to the area through a system of canals. A horizontal water wheel powered both the gristmill and a nearby sawmill
. An ice pond
and log pond were located nearby, as well. The ice pond was used for recreational skating
, and from it ice
was harvested to chill the train cars that carried local fresh produce to market.
In the latter part of the 19th century, the nutritional content of flour
ground with the wheat germ intact was a vast improvement over flour ground
without the wheat germ, and contributed greatly to the health of settlers in developing communities. However, the presence of wheat germ also meant that the flour would spoil
quickly, especially in the heat of summer. A local mill allowed area residents to process smaller quantities of wheat at a time. In addition, since the gristmill processed other grains
for animal feed
, locals were able to "fatten out" stock
intended for market and to keep their working stock in better condition.
Kittitas Valley farmers brought their wheat crops to the Thorp Mill in wagons, and the grain
was ground into flour
, bran
, or feed for livestock. Initially the grain was processed between huge stone burrs
that had been brought laboriously via wagon from The Dalles, Oregon
. In 1895, the arrival of the Northern Pacific Railroad depot enabled importation and installation of more efficient steel roller burrs. The railroad also provided local farmers with an easy means to sell their flour throughout the Puget Sound
region.
The Thorp Mill Town Historical Society began with a handful of Thorp High School
alumni who decided, for the sake of nostalgia, to preserve the old gristmill located near the edge of town. But in researching for the task, they found that history of the mill embodied all the best of the American ideal. Research also revealed that although the local mill once was the center of every small community, nearly all such mills are gone now, destroyed by fire or dismantled during the Second World War.
Today, the organization is actively engaged in preservation projects focused on the Thorp Mill and the surrounding community of Thorp. The members maintain the mill as a landmark and museum, providing tours and interpretive information for visitors. In collaboration with Central Washington University
, the society has engaged in the collection of historical records that are curated by the CWU Brooks Library, including historical photographs, documents and ephemera that provide a rich archive of historical and research materials. Each year, the Thorp Mill Town Historical Preservation Society produces events that raise funds to maintain the mill, and expand the offerings it provides to the local community.
In addtion, the North Star Mill’s unique combination of functions and its early production of electricity draw the interest of industrial historians nationwide. The Mill is, therefore, not just a local landmark, but a national treasure, nearly the last of its kind—a reminder of an American spirit that is all too often forgotten.
Thorp, Washington
Thorp is an unincorporated town and census-designated place in Kittitas County, Washington, United States. The population was 240 at the 2010 census...
.
On November 23, 1977, the Thorp Mill was placed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
.
The landmark is maintained by the Thorp Mill Town Historical Preservation Society, which aims to preserve the mill for the benefit of the local community and to make it available for the benefit of people seeking to understand American culture and history. To this end, the organization now devotes itself to developing the mill site both as an interpretive site and as a gathering place for community activities, maintaining and fostering the close sense of community and family and the enterprising spirit that is the town of Thorp's heritage, while allowing it to carry those values forward into the future and into the world community.
History
See also, History of the Town of Thorp
In 1878, James L. Mills traversed the trail over the Cascade Mountains from Puget Sound
Puget Sound
Puget Sound is a sound in the U.S. state of Washington. It is a complex estuarine system of interconnected marine waterways and basins, with one major and one minor connection to the Strait of Juan de Fuca and the Pacific Ocean — Admiralty Inlet being the major connection and...
by foot, and saw great possibilities in the Kittitas Valley. He built a sawmill
Sawmill
A sawmill is a facility where logs are cut into boards.-Sawmill process:A sawmill's basic operation is much like those of hundreds of years ago; a log enters on one end and dimensional lumber exits on the other end....
west of the current town site in 1879, diverting water from the Yakima River to turn its wheels. The sawmill had a capacity of 7,000 feet daily.
Not content with the sawmill, Mills devised a way for the same wheels to power the North Star Mill, a gristmill
Gristmill
The terms gristmill or grist mill can refer either to a building in which grain is ground into flour, or to the grinding mechanism itself.- Early history :...
that Oren Hutchinson had built at the town of Thorp in 1883, to provide feed for livestock
Livestock
Livestock refers to one or more domesticated animals raised in an agricultural setting to produce commodities such as food, fiber and labor. The term "livestock" as used in this article does not include poultry or farmed fish; however the inclusion of these, especially poultry, within the meaning...
and flour
Flour
Flour is a powder which is made by grinding cereal grains, other seeds or roots . It is the main ingredient of bread, which is a staple food for many cultures, making the availability of adequate supplies of flour a major economic and political issue at various times throughout history...
for the local residents. The four-story mill provided farmers throughout the Kittitas Valley with the convenience of local processing for wheat
Wheat
Wheat is a cereal grain, originally from the Levant region of the Near East, but now cultivated worldwide. In 2007 world production of wheat was 607 million tons, making it the third most-produced cereal after maize and rice...
crops, as well as serving as an important hub for community activities. The North Star Mill was best known for its leading brand "Tip Top".
In 1907, the energy from the water wheel at the North Star Mill was utilized to power a steam generator
Boiler (steam generator)
A boiler or steam generator is a device used to create steam by applying heat energy to water. Although the definitions are somewhat flexible, it can be said that older steam generators were commonly termed boilers and worked at low to medium pressure but, at pressures above this, it is more...
having a 40-horsepower
Horsepower
Horsepower is the name of several units of measurement of power. The most common definitions equal between 735.5 and 750 watts.Horsepower was originally defined to compare the output of steam engines with the power of draft horses in continuous operation. The unit was widely adopted to measure the...
dynamo
Dynamo
- Engineering :* Dynamo, a magnetic device originally used as an electric generator* Dynamo theory, a theory relating to magnetic fields of celestial bodies* Solar dynamo, the physical process that generates the Sun's magnetic field- Software :...
, which furnished electricity
Electricity
Electricity is a general term encompassing a variety of phenomena resulting from the presence and flow of electric charge. These include many easily recognizable phenomena, such as lightning, static electricity, and the flow of electrical current in an electrical wire...
for laundering clothes two mornings each week, and for lighting homes for a few hours each evening. This gave Thorp the distinction of being among the first towns in Washington to have electricity, and the smallest unincorporated town in the Northwest to have electric lights.
The Thorp Mill continued active operation until its closure in 1946. On November 23, 1977, it was placed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
.
Operations
The mill utilized Yakima RiverYakima River
The Yakima River is a tributary of the Columbia River in south central and eastern Washington State, named for the indigenous Yakama people. The length of the river from headwaters to mouth is , with an average drop of .-Course:...
water brought to the area through a system of canals. A horizontal water wheel powered both the gristmill and a nearby sawmill
Sawmill
A sawmill is a facility where logs are cut into boards.-Sawmill process:A sawmill's basic operation is much like those of hundreds of years ago; a log enters on one end and dimensional lumber exits on the other end....
. An ice pond
Ice pond
An ice pond is a large volume of ice or snow produced and stored in the winter to be used for cooling/air conditioning in the summer. The best known experiment is the 'Princeton ice pond' by Ted Taylor in 1981. He then convinced the Prudential Insurance Company to use a bigger pond to provide air...
and log pond were located nearby, as well. The ice pond was used for recreational skating
Ice skating
Ice skating is moving on ice by using ice skates. It can be done for a variety of reasons, including leisure, traveling, and various sports. Ice skating occurs both on specially prepared indoor and outdoor tracks, as well as on naturally occurring bodies of frozen water, such as lakes and...
, and from it ice
Ice
Ice is water frozen into the solid state. Usually ice is the phase known as ice Ih, which is the most abundant of the varying solid phases on the Earth's surface. It can appear transparent or opaque bluish-white color, depending on the presence of impurities or air inclusions...
was harvested to chill the train cars that carried local fresh produce to market.
In the latter part of the 19th century, the nutritional content of flour
Flour
Flour is a powder which is made by grinding cereal grains, other seeds or roots . It is the main ingredient of bread, which is a staple food for many cultures, making the availability of adequate supplies of flour a major economic and political issue at various times throughout history...
ground with the wheat germ intact was a vast improvement over flour ground
Grind
The grind of a blade refers to the shape of the cross-section of the blade. It is distinct from the type of blade , though different tools and blades may have lent their name to a particular grind.Grinding involves removing significant portions of metal from the blade and is thus distinct from...
without the wheat germ, and contributed greatly to the health of settlers in developing communities. However, the presence of wheat germ also meant that the flour would spoil
Decomposition
Decomposition is the process by which organic material is broken down into simpler forms of matter. The process is essential for recycling the finite matter that occupies physical space in the biome. Bodies of living organisms begin to decompose shortly after death...
quickly, especially in the heat of summer. A local mill allowed area residents to process smaller quantities of wheat at a time. In addition, since the gristmill processed other grains
Cereal
Cereals are grasses cultivated for the edible components of their grain , composed of the endosperm, germ, and bran...
for animal feed
Fodder
Fodder or animal feed is any agricultural foodstuff used specifically to feed domesticated livestock such as cattle, goats, sheep, horses, chickens and pigs. Most animal feed is from plants but some is of animal origin...
, locals were able to "fatten out" stock
Livestock
Livestock refers to one or more domesticated animals raised in an agricultural setting to produce commodities such as food, fiber and labor. The term "livestock" as used in this article does not include poultry or farmed fish; however the inclusion of these, especially poultry, within the meaning...
intended for market and to keep their working stock in better condition.
Kittitas Valley farmers brought their wheat crops to the Thorp Mill in wagons, and the grain
GRAIN
GRAIN is a small international non-profit organisation that works to support small farmers and social movements in their struggles for community-controlled and biodiversity-based food systems. Our support takes the form of independent research and analysis, networking at local, regional and...
was ground into flour
Flour
Flour is a powder which is made by grinding cereal grains, other seeds or roots . It is the main ingredient of bread, which is a staple food for many cultures, making the availability of adequate supplies of flour a major economic and political issue at various times throughout history...
, bran
Bran
Bran is the hard outer layer of grain and consists of combined aleurone and pericarp. Along with germ, it is an integral part of whole grains, and is often produced as a by-product of milling in the production of refined grains. When bran is removed from grains, the grains lose a portion of their...
, or feed for livestock. Initially the grain was processed between huge stone burrs
Burr (cutter)
Burrs are small cutters used in die grinders, rotary tools or dentist's drills. The name may be considered appropriate when their small sized head is compared to that of a seed of the burr fruit or the teeth compared to a metal burr.To maintain the correct surface speed and cutting conditions...
that had been brought laboriously via wagon from The Dalles, Oregon
The Dalles, Oregon
The Dalles is the largest city and county seat of Wasco County, Oregon, United States. The name of the city comes from the French word dalle The Dalles is the largest city and county seat of Wasco County, Oregon, United States. The name of the city comes from the French word dalle The Dalles is...
. In 1895, the arrival of the Northern Pacific Railroad depot enabled importation and installation of more efficient steel roller burrs. The railroad also provided local farmers with an easy means to sell their flour throughout the Puget Sound
Puget Sound
Puget Sound is a sound in the U.S. state of Washington. It is a complex estuarine system of interconnected marine waterways and basins, with one major and one minor connection to the Strait of Juan de Fuca and the Pacific Ocean — Admiralty Inlet being the major connection and...
region.
Thorp Mill Town Historical Preservation Society
Although its value was recognized by its owner and by local artists, historians, and others in Thorp and the Kittitas Valley, the Thorp Gristmill stood unused for 40 years. To restore it would be an expensive project, and there seemed no hope of obtaining the necessary funds until a request for community centennial projects raised the hopes of an enterprising group of people.The Thorp Mill Town Historical Society began with a handful of Thorp High School
Thorp High School (Thorp, Washington)
Thorp High School is a secondary school in Thorp, Kittitas County, Washington.Long a point of pride and center of community life in the town, it was established in 1895...
alumni who decided, for the sake of nostalgia, to preserve the old gristmill located near the edge of town. But in researching for the task, they found that history of the mill embodied all the best of the American ideal. Research also revealed that although the local mill once was the center of every small community, nearly all such mills are gone now, destroyed by fire or dismantled during the Second World War.
Today, the organization is actively engaged in preservation projects focused on the Thorp Mill and the surrounding community of Thorp. The members maintain the mill as a landmark and museum, providing tours and interpretive information for visitors. In collaboration with Central Washington University
Central Washington University
Central Washington University, often abbreviated CWU, is a public university in Ellensburg, Washington in the United States.This location was selected by the state legislature as a consolation prize after Ellensburg lost its bid to be state capital...
, the society has engaged in the collection of historical records that are curated by the CWU Brooks Library, including historical photographs, documents and ephemera that provide a rich archive of historical and research materials. Each year, the Thorp Mill Town Historical Preservation Society produces events that raise funds to maintain the mill, and expand the offerings it provides to the local community.
In addtion, the North Star Mill’s unique combination of functions and its early production of electricity draw the interest of industrial historians nationwide. The Mill is, therefore, not just a local landmark, but a national treasure, nearly the last of its kind—a reminder of an American spirit that is all too often forgotten.
See also
- History of the Town of Thorp
- Thorp High SchoolThorp High School (Thorp, Washington)Thorp High School is a secondary school in Thorp, Kittitas County, Washington.Long a point of pride and center of community life in the town, it was established in 1895...
- Kittitas County, Washington
- National Register of Historic Places listings in Kittitas County, Washington
External links
- Thorp Mill Town Historical Preservation Society
- Thorp School District No. 400
- CWU Brooks Library, Thorp Historical Photograph Collection A collection of photographs dating from the late 19th century to the early 20th century consisting of various historical images of town of Thorp. .