Old Mills and Milling ... and Their Connections

I know almost nothing about the history of milling in our state (nor of milling in general); its technological evolution, centralization and the population dynamics which must continue to affect this industry. Of course, the 'Handbook of Texas Online" offers a fine summary article:

http://www.tsha.utexas.edu/handbook/online/articles/MM/dim2.html

Time has bypassed many of our old milling structures. In Rhome, for example, a beautiful stone building constructed in 1889 -- which is said to have processed wheat into Gold Medal Flour -- has been lovingly restored to serve as the offices of Calvin Jones Insurance Agency. While it is no longer in operation, the grain elevators are still present. Other examples may be found at texasescapes.com and at other sites on the Web.

In 1981, when I was expecting my first child, my husband had the idea to snap 'our' picture in a wheat field which was tall, waving and begging for harvest .... located just to the south of the little town of Renner. While in the process of this undertaking, we were approached by an elderly gentleman in faded blue overalls and straw hat. He slammed his pickup door shut, eyed us squarely, and asked whether we were working for his competition -- come out to "eye" his crop. I promised that I was competing against noone but myself to bring forth the life within me. The old fellow smiled, took off his hat, and answered that he could see that was most likely so. Then, he flung his arm wistfully across the waving wheat, informed us that this was to be his final crop, and began to reminisce of times past in the Dallas-/Collin-County borderlands. I wondered: the man clearly was saddened to say 'goodbye' to his abundant field, but might he also have wished that a child or grandchild could go on farming in that place? A Super-Target spans the ebony soil today.
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The woman of the frontier made the best of her situation, for she had developed a respect for the land that gave her freedom as well as the courage to live in it.
~~~ from the perspective of Anne Seagraves

Please find here a photo of the beautiful old mill in Rhome (Wise County). We will try to obtain another when fall arrives and the foliage releases its shade.

As can be seen, the portion of the mill which serves as an office likely belongs to a later date of construction. Hopefully, a more specific date for this section can be obtained soon.

http://i20.servimg.com/u/f20/11/26/71/51/gold_m10.jpg
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The woman of the frontier made the best of her situation, for she had developed a respect for the land that gave her freedom as well as the courage to live in it.
~~~ from the perspective of Anne Seagraves

Joined : 19 Nov 2007 Posts : 3

A bit of history on the Rhome mill....

It was originally named Gold Medal Mill. Some of the people moved north and founded the Gold Medal Flour Company as we now know it. When Gold Medal Flour started buying up mills across the states. the found the mill in Rhome and sued for name infringement...only to find out the mill predated them.

The Jones' bought the mill about twenty years ago. It was the city dump before then.

The original inside stone works of the mill walls appear to be made of a shale rock that easily separates from itself and the mortar is very weak, but the outside rock walls are much stronger.

Some of the windows have been cemented over and it appears the brick work on the south side where Calvin has his offices is from a different date. His wife, Clara, has an art studio on the north side. She says the brick area is from around the same date though.

The center area of the mill within the stone walls is empty, mostly junk is stored on the first floor and the second and third floors are clear.

Wrangler Joined : 13 Nov 2007 Posts : 49

Road Trip!!!
Perhaps we should plan a get together and go visit this lovely old building??
Pack a wonderful picnic lunch... I have this great basket!

Joined : 19 Nov 2007 Posts : 3

More on its history...

The center stone structure has a 3 degree inward slope as it goes upwards, I think its forty-five feet tall. It was gutted in a fire and thats why the interior stone and mortar might be weak. The walls are TWENTY FOUR inches thick at the base.

The north and south brick portions were added in the twenties when the mill was mechanized. The basement under the south office was the machinery room that powered conveyors and augers.

The owner sold the building to Maco Paint company in the early sixties and they used it as a storehouse. When Jones bought it twenty years ago, it was pretty much a city dump.

Thanks so much for sharing this information on the old mill at Rhome. I have spoken with the receptionist at the insurance company. She was very kind and invited us over to have a look, but we have not done this yet. We need to!

I hadn't known about the adjoining art studio; Calvin and Clara have done a magnificent job in preserving the mill.

I do have a copy of Catherine T. Gonzalez' fine history of Rhome, much of which she drew from the Wise County Messenger and other regional newspapers. This book contains a detailed discussion of the mill as it first was mentioned in the county paper in 1885 (called, I believe, the Rhome roller mill initially and by the 1890s, the Rhome Milling Company) and its struggles and progression through the decades. I hadn't yet read the section dealing with the 'Gold Medal' naming, so thanks for explaining this Smile

We live quite near the mill but are newcomers to the area.
_________________
The woman of the frontier made the best of her situation, for she had developed a respect for the land that gave her freedom as well as the courage to live in it.
~~~ from the perspective of Anne Seagraves

Joined : 19 Nov 2007 Posts : 3

Thanks so much. I hope to visit this historic mill soon!
_________________
The woman of the frontier made the best of her situation, for she had developed a respect for the land that gave her freedom as well as the courage to live in it.
~~~ from the perspective of Anne Seagraves