Property Record
W SIDE OF WATER ST, JUST S OF E BENTON ST
Architecture and History Inventory
| Historic Name: | ROCKDALE MILL |
|---|---|
| Other Name: | FEED STORE |
| Contributing: | |
| Reference Number: | 5759 |
| Location (Address): | W SIDE OF WATER ST, JUST S OF E BENTON ST |
|---|---|
| County: | Dane |
| City: | Rockdale |
| Township/Village: | |
| Unincorporated Community: | |
| Town: | |
| Range: | |
| Direction: | |
| Section: | |
| Quarter Section: | |
| Quarter/Quarter Section: |
| Year Built: | 1848 |
|---|---|
| Additions: | |
| Survey Date: | 1979 |
| Historic Use: | mill |
| Architectural Style: | Astylistic Utilitarian Building |
| Structural System: | |
| Wall Material: | Wood |
| Architect: | |
| Other Buildings On Site: | |
| Demolished?: | Yes |
| Demolished Date: | 2006 |
| National/State Register Listing Name: | Not listed |
|---|---|
| National Register Listing Date: | |
| State Register Listing Date: |
| Additional Information: | A 'site file' exists for this property. It contains additional information such as correspondence, newspaper clippings, or historical information. It is a public record and may be viewed in person at the Wisconsin Historical Society, Division of Historic Preservation. COMB. SAW, GRIST, CARDING MILL. 2-1/2 STORY W/1 STORY FOUNDATION. EVENTUALLY RESTRICTED OPS TO FLOUR MILLING UNTIL 1940 WHEN IT BECAME A FEED MILL. WATER POWER NO LONGER USED. SEE DONATH SURVEY OF AG-IND BLDGS. WISCONSIN REGISTERED LANDMARK #20. Perched on the edge of Koshkonong Creek, the Rockdale Mill has marked the landscape of southwest Wisconsin for over a century. Located in the heart of the Village of Rockdale, the mill was built by Thomas and Nathan Van Horn in 1847, and functioned as a saw, grist, and carding mill. Rockdale was established in 1836, but was known as Clinton in those days. It wasn't until 1885 that the village name was officially changed, and the title of the mill along with it. The Van Horns built the mill along the east bank of the Koshkonong Creek, which they dammed in order to utilize its waterpower for the production of flour. Two large turbines located beneath the building and propelled by the force of the water, powered the mill. The only flour grinding mill within a 50-mile radius, local farmers and travelers to the region would visit to buy flour and livestock feed. The Van Horns became a prominent family in the area, due in part to the influence of their industry. |
|---|---|
| Bibliographic References: | GOULD "HISTORIC PLACES OF RURAL DANE CO". Fort Atkinson Daily Jefferson Co. Union 5/19/2003. Cambridge News 5/20/2004. Edgerton Reporter 5/21/2003. Prepared by Landscape Research, Ltd. for the Dane County Cultural Affairs Commission, Dane County: A Guide to the Rural Landscape, 1978. |
| Wisconsin Architecture and History Inventory, State Historic Preservation Office, Wisconsin Historical Society, Madison, Wisconsin |