09 Dec Motor Mill Restoration
NE IA RC&D is assisting partners to restore, preserve and promote this Motor Mill Park and its associated components. The Project maximizes partnerships between local, regional and state partners and creates a quality tourism experience. It will help protect and preserve the Mill’s architectural integrity. It will provide for immediate restoration of building components, including improved stabilization that will allow future development and interpretation of the resource. The size of the Motor Mill is immense. The foundation is five feet thick and gradually decreases as the structure ascends to the roof. The other limestone structures, including an Inn, Stable, Icehouse and Cooperage, were added to the site to provide the necessary amenities and support for the success of the Mill. Although Iowa alone boasted over 700 grist mills at the peak of the milling era, Motor Mill is the tallest of the handful that remain in the region. The Motor Mill’s tourism significance has been recognized by state organizations including Silos and Smokestacks and the Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation.