Mill City Museum

704 South 2nd St.
Mpls, MN 55401
Directions

Contact

612-341-7555
mcm@mnhs.org

Hours

Tuesday through Saturday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Sunday noon to 5 p.m.

July and August:
Monday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Admission Prices

$10 adults
$8 seniors (65+)
$8 college students (valid ID)
$5 children ages 6-17

Free for MHS members and children age 5 and under.

2010 Mar / Apr

weather 37° F, Fog
Minneapolis, MN
 

Mill City Museum

Built into the ruins of what was once the world’s largest flour mill, Mill City Museum is located on the historic Mississippi Riverfront. Here, visitors of all ages learn about the intertwined histories of the flour industry, the river, and the city of Minneapolis.

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The Mill City Museum Store carries a wide range of unique gifts and souvenirs.

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Cartoon picture of people baking bread.

During its heyday between 1880 and 1930 it was said that more than 12 million loaves of bread were made daily from the wheat milled at the Washburn A Mill.

Historic photo of the Minneapolis Milling District

From 1880 to 1930 Minneapolis was the flour milling capital of the world, leading to the nickname "Mill City."

Photograph of a railroad car

Every working day, approximately 175 railroad cars of wheat were processed at the Washburn A Mill during its heyday. 

Photograph of a wheat farm

The flour mills in Minneapolis stimulated a boom in larger farms, and by 1880, 70 percent of Minnesota's cultivated land - almost 4.5 million acres - was planted in wheat.

Photograph of St Anthony Falls erosion

The Falls of St. Anthony were gradually moving upstream, so mill workers had to construct a wooden apron under the falls to stop the damages of erosion. "Pay your respects to old St.

Photograph of the dams of St Anthony Falls

Lakes and rivers in northern Minnesota that fed the Mississippi River were turned into a vast reservoir system that regulated the flow of water to the mills in Minneapolis.

Historic photo of the Minneapolis Milling District

In the 1880s, flour milling comprised two-thirds of the Minneapolis' manufacturing output.

HIstoric Photo of the Minneapolis Millers Baseball team

Flour milling was celebrated in Minneapolis as the city named its first professional baseball team the "Minneapolis Millers."

Photograph of William de la Barre

William de la Barre, chief engineer of the Washburn A Mill, was involved in corporate espionage when he worked at a competing mill in Budapest as a full-time employee.

Washburn A Mill Explosion

The Washburn A Mill suffered great loss in its history – it exploded once and burned twice.

Man working on the belts at MCM

The population of Minneapolis increased by 1,300 percent between 1870 and 1890 as immigrants moved to the city to work in the mills and supporting industries.

Washburn A Mill as a historic landmark

In 1971, the Washburn A Mill was added to the National Register of Historic Places, and in 1983 it was designated a National Historic Landmark.

 
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