Neligh Mill
The Neligh Mill is a water-powered flour mill in the city of Neligh in the northeastern part of the state of Nebraska in the Midwestern United States. The mill was built in 1873 by John Neligh, the city's founder, to make use of water power from the Elkhorn River. It operated for nearly one hundred years until it closed in 1969.
The Nebraska State [Historical Society] maintains the mill complex and describes it as the only 19th-century mill in the state that still possesses all of the original equipment used when it was in operation. The mill is listed in the National Register of Historic Places.
History
John D. Neligh, founder of the Nebraska town of Neligh, began building the brick mill on the Elkhorn River in 1873. Another Neligh businessman, W. C. Gallaway, took over the mill and completed construction, including damming the Elkhorn River. A water turbine, which was positioned horizontally, powered the gear in the mill's basement. On August 29, 1874, the mill began operation, grinding wheat, corn, and buckwheat.In 1886 the mill converted from stone mill burrs to modern steel rollers. It provided flour and meal for customers across Nebraska, as well as the War Department and Indian Bureau. Improvements in the mill's turbines allowed it to generate electrical power for the town, supplying it until 1925.