To operate the mill, the miller places the grain to be ground in the funnel-like hopper above his pair of millstones, after first taking out his toll. Then he opens the sluice gate that lets water into his water wheel. As the weight of falling water turns the water wheel, large gears turning smaller gears make the shaft turn faster, much as the large gear on the peddles of a bicycle will turn the smaller gear on the wheel more rapidly. This power is transmitted to a vertical spindle, upon which rests a large, flat disc of stone, often weighing a ton or more. This stone spins just above, but not quite touching, an identical stone set stationary in the floor of the mill. Both stones have a pattern of grooves cut into their faces. As one stone turns above the other, their grooves cross much like scissor blades. Grain falling through the hole, or "eye", in the runner stone is cut apart as it passes between the two stones. The miller can adjust the distance between the stones to regulate how finely the grain is ground. The milled grains move around the cover that is over the stones, until it falls through a hole into the meal chest. From there it can be scooped up into a sack to be taken home for baking.

Click Here for an animation of how a mill works.

The plan worked, for in April of 1880, Mr. E. M. Britts and Mr. S. S. McKinley of the Osage City Mills, Osage, IA, came to Verndale to inspect the area and selected a beautiful mill site on the Wing River. The property was owned by T. C. Thompson. Financial matters and rights of way were quickly settled to make way for the mill. Construction of the mill was quickly started and the facility was completed and dedicated with a grand free dance on July 20, 1880. This was the first mill of its kind in the northern part of the state.

CLICK HERE to read about the development of the mill in an article published in the Verndale Journal, April 30, 1880.

CLICK HERE to read an article originally published in the Duluth Tribune, and reprinted in the Verndale Journal, June 25, 1880.

Mr. Britts hired Thomas C. Myers, also originally from Osage, IA, to be the general contractor on the mill, his crew of 25 men were quickly put to work building the sturdy mill building. He was assisted in building the dam by Charlie Ham who used his oxen to help move the logs, which were used to construct the dam.

As recorded in an 1881 survey of Wadena county:
"Verndale Flouring Mills, E. M. Britts & Co., on the Wing River near the centre of section 18, Aldrich, one and a half miles north of Verndale; three run of stone; head, about twelve feet. This dam is founded on the till, which is covered here by ten feet of sandy and gravelly modified drift."

The mill was built into the hillside on the east bank of the river. Power was delivered to the mill by the use of a 100 foot belt, covered in a wooden runway, which ran up the river bank from the three turbine waterwheels (two 40" diameter and one 30" diameter).

Rather than the familiar waterwheel, the Verndale mill had a turbine located down the hill near the dam. A 100 ft. drive belt delivered the power to the mill. The illustration to the right is probably similar to the turbine that was employed at the Verndale mill.

Click on the illustration to the right to enlarge it.

Mr. Britt's mill served area farmers and the caravans of wagons which traversed the 55 mile long Wheat Trail (Verndale Road) which ran from Shell City to Verndale. Shell City, now a ghost town, was a community on the Wadena and Hubbard county line, on the edge of the vast Shell Prairies, near Park Rapids. Farmers from the Shell Prairies brought their bumper crops of wheat down the Verndale Road to have flour ground at the mill or to ship their grain out by rail from the Andrews or the Stewart (later Pettit) grain elevators which were located on the Northern Pacific Railroad tracks at Verndale. The caravans traveling to Verndale often numbered as many as 100 wagons. It is said that as much as 800,000 bushels of wheat were shipped from Verndale at the peak of the wheat trade. Verndale was the closest market for these farmers and their business made Verndale a bustling and prosperous trade center.

Although the history of the mill site is incomplete, it is known that the first mill burned and was replaced by a second mill, which had six roller mills. This mill could grind 100 (196#) barrels of flour per day, which were shipped to market by rail from Verndale.

Mr. Britts ran the grist mill until about 1900 when he left for Duluth to engage in the business of banking; using the profits he had generated running the mill at Verndale.

The mill dam also supplied electrical power for Verndale. In 1903, an electric power plant was installed and the lights were first turned on March 1, 1903. By 1906, the electric power plant had been moved to the lower level of Verndale's vacant courthouse building, which was destroyed by fire on January 5, 1912.

Other owners of the mill included: John Greene, who was operating the mill in 1907. Mr. Greene would grind 25 sacks of oats for $1.00. K.S. Bagne was the miller in 1907. During the spring floods of 1910, Mr. Bagne made an attempt to save the dam, but his efforts failed and the dam was lost.

The story of Verndale's grist mill ends on July 8, 1912, when lightning struck and destroyed the mill, which had been standing idle for several months.

There have been several attempts over the years to resurrect the dam, but none have succeeded. Imagine if the dam was still there today, the lake would certainly be a powerful economic generator for the southern part of Wadena County and both the communities of Verndale and Wadena. With easy access from US HWY 10, the lake on the Wing River would provide ample recreation and business opportunities, bringing much economic investment to Wadena County.