Phelps Mill Historic District
The Town’s Identity & Economy Grew From the Success of the Historic Mill
Talking Trail Audio Story
Phelps Mill
Phelps Mill, originally called Maine Roller Mills, was built in 1889 by William E. Thomas and Ezra P. Adams on 37 acres along the Otter Tail River in Maine township. Located 17 miles east and north of Fergus Falls, the 36-by-30-foot building was constructed without a preliminary sketch. Royal Powers, the chief carpenter was skilled enough to fit each piece of lumber flawlessly. Thomas and Adams built the nearby dam at the same time to provide water power for the mill.
Machinery was installed in October 1889 at a cost of $5,000, and the grinding of wheat began in December. The facility had a daily output of 60 to 75 barrels of flour. In 1895 a three story addition was built to meet the demands of grinding feed, buckwheat and rye.
“Farmer’s Roost”
Business at the mill flourished, with farmers hauling in grain from a radius of 30 to 35 miles. The farmers stayed overnight in a bunkhouse owned by Thomas. Known as the “Farmer’s Roost,” the small cabin stood by the river flats north of the mill. When all the cots in the bunkhouse were full, hay was tossed into the corners to accommodate a few more guests.
Livery Stable
Thomas also owned a barn where he allowed the traveling farmers to stable their horses free of charge. Built in 1890, the barn was located along the road southeast of the “Roost” and could accommodate 16 teams of horses.
Blacksmith Shop
Carl A. Gabriel arrived in 1890 to become the town’s first blacksmith. He purchased land on the west bank of the river above the dam and built a sod- roof log cabin to house his shop. Gabriel provided blacksmith services both to local farmers and distant farmers who brought wheat to the mill. He also used his skills at the mill itself, welding and repairing the equipment.
As automobiles and more advanced machinery became available to farmers, the need for shod horses and sharpened plowshares declined. Gabriel closed his business around 1912 and retired to his farm.
General Store
In November 1890, the area’s first store, James Morton and Company, was established in a vacant cabin. The store sold sugar, salt, flour, coffee, a small line of groceries and lots of tobacco.
Enos Leeper bought Morton’s store stock and built a new facility in the fall of 1891. It was a one-room store with a one-room kitchen and living area, and an unfurnished upstairs. Leeper carried food, hardware, patent medicines, notions and clothing. His store was also a meeting place where area residents could catch up on the latest news and gossip. It served as the post office until 1909, when Rural Free Delivery was introduced to the area. Peder R. Sande became the store’s manager in 1910. The store passed through the hands of various owners until it closed in 1963.
Post Office
Because the nearest mail facility was too far away for many Maine residents, a post office was established at the general store in 1891. The name of the mill and townsite was changed to avoid confusion with nearby Maine village and prevent mail from being delivered to the wrong location. William Thomas decided on “Phelps” in honor of his wife’s maiden name. Mail was delivered to Phelps daily by the Perham stage.
![Fishing at Phelps Mill, Maine Township [#7825A from the collections of the Otter Tail County Historical Society]](https://eadn-wc02-557916.nxedge.io/cdn/wp-content/uploads/7825Adpi600-1-1024x705.jpg)
Ice House
Before a refrigerator was installed in the general store in 1938, manager Peder R. Sande used the long-vacant “Farmer’s Roost” as an icehouse. Each year, when Lake Leon had frozen to a depth of two feet, Sande hired Peter and Henry Welch and Hank Bjorgo to cut ice. The blocks, 24 inches square and weighing 200 pounds, were loaded on a sled and hauled to the “Roost.” There, they were stacked almost to the ceiling, with sawdust placed between the layers and across the top blocks for insulation. Sande sold the ice to customers and used it for cold storage items in his store, such as meats, butter, lard and cheese.
Cheese Factory
In 1900 cheesemaker Solon Hubbard announced he would produce cheese commercially if local farmers would supply him with at least 700 pounds of milk a day. Before long, it was reported that “the cheese factory is doing a rushing business,” with an average of 1,500 pounds of milk being delivered daily. Hubbard worked for a salary of $50 per month.
Restaurant
A tiny, two-room restaurant was built in a picturesque setting above the river in 1920. It served mostly lunches, pies, ice cream and homemade bread. After many changes in ownership, the restaurant was closed when the mill’s business declined. The building was moved to Fergus Falls and remodeled into a home in 1946.
![Phelps Mill and general store, Maine Township, circa 1905 [#14095 from the collections of the Otter Tail County Historical Society]](https://eadn-wc02-557916.nxedge.io/cdn/wp-content/uploads/14095dpi600-1024x362.jpg)
