Bridgeton, Indiana

Ralph Sprague was a significant figure in Bridgeton's history. He bought the mill in 1862. In 1868, fire claimed this mill as well. Sprague decided to rebuild and the present mill was erected in 1871, it is considered the most historically important building in the district.

The new mill, 1871, was equipped with a large set of burr stones for feed, roller mills for flour, and a small set of burr stones for corn. The total cost was $14,000. With a sandstone foundation and heavy timber frame the mill stands three stories and is capped by a gable roof. Water would enter the basement through large arches in the foundation to power water turbines which would provide mechanical power for the mill.

Daniel Webster bought the mill in 1882 for $15,000 and in 1886 hired the Richmond Milling Company to modernize the mill by replacing the burr stones with more efficient steel roll mills, sieves, and sifters. Under Webster's direction the mill prospered and came to be known as the Bridgeton Roller Mills.

The farmers originally paid for their milling services with 1/6th of their grain, in 1853 a new state law set it at 1/8th. During the Webster period the mill was operated on the exchange system.[6] Farmers would receive 35 pounds of flour per bushel of wheat and forty pounds of meal per bushel of corn. The mill was capable of 75 barrels of flour per day. The Bridgeton Mill used assorted brand names over the years, including, Family, Anchor, White Satin, White Oak, Spring Wheat Patent, and Snowdrift for its flour.

Daniel Webster died in 1895 and about three years later P.T. Winney of Clay County purchased the mill for $3,500. Winney had two 220 volt generators installed and from 1906 until his death in 1913 offered electricity for the town.

George E. Brake, Winney's stepson, and Fred A. Mitchell bought the mill in 1914 for $2,700 and finished reinforcing the dam, started by Winney, with poured concrete. By 1915 Charles Mitchell bought Fred A. Mitchell's interest in the mill but then in 1922 he sold it to Earl D. Miller.

Brake and Miller continued to run the mill until 1935 when Hugh W. Knoll purchased it, but only for a brief period, before selling it to A. Dale Hough for $3,000. Hough had a new foundation laid in the mill and installed a bleaching system for the flour. Charles D. Hansel purchased the mill after Hough died in 1938.

The Bridgeton Mill followed the history of many other mills in Indiana when it was converted to a feed mill in 1938 by its new owner, C.D. Hansel. Hansel had the roll mill and burr stones removed and added a concrete block extension to the south.

In 1940 Ernest and Mildred Weise and their son Robert bought the mill, which they operated as the Weise Milling Company. With the construction of the Mansfield Dam in 1957, and the already declining water level of the Big Raccoon Creek, the Weises converted the mill to an electric powered feed grain operation. A glazed block office was added on east side of the mill. 1969 brought the end of daily operations at the mill though products were still produced and sold to tourists and by mail order year-round. In 1972 the Weises purchased some burr stones from an old mill in New Palestine and reinstalled them at the Bridgeton Mill. The mill was then bought by Mike and Karen Roe in 1995. Along with help, and recipes, from the Weise family, the mill continues to operate today "10 till tired", April 1 through the second weekend of December.[5][6]

Ralph Sprague had this classic gabled ell house built in 1878.(pictured at right) Located on Main Street it is a two-story wood-frame house featuring Italianate ornamentation resting on a sandstone foundation. The house is sheathed in wood clapboard siding and has two gable roof sections. Both the front and side gable ends feature distinctive "1878" oculus vents.

Sprague lived there until he sold the mill, which included the house, in 1882 to Daniel Webster. The Rockville Republican described Mr. Webster as, "one of your fat, jolly old fellows you like to meet." He and his family lived in the house and owned the mill until 1899. In 1899 James H. Kerr purchased the house but after his death it sat empty for many years until Chales Peffley eventually bought it. The house served as a single family residence until 1980 when it was converted into a gift shop. Locally it is known as the "1878 House."[5][6]

• 
  Bridgeton, Indiana, Masonic Lodge prior to the 1913 removal of the 3rd floor.

In 1869 the Freemasons built a three-story Masonic Lodge across the street from where the present mill would be built. In 1913 the third story was removed (after a fire ravaged the upper story). The Lodge is the oldest building in Bridgeton. It is also one of the last Masonic Moon lodges left in the country. Because of poor roads and traveling conditions meetings were held on the night of the full moon, or within a few days before or after the full moon, to make travel safer and easier.[9]