Iola Mills
| 23 August 2009
A UNIQUE AND HISTORIC PROPERTY
On the long drive home after their first visit to the Iola Mills property in 1996,
Tom Fucik said to his wife Melody, "I can think of no good reason why we
should buy that property, but I still want it." She replied, "me too" and the rest
is history. Since then, the Fucik's have fallen in love with the property and area.
They began working full time on it following Tom's medically-induced retirement
in 2002. "Developing this property following my brain surgery has been an
enormous struggle physically, financially, and emotionally, and yet my only
regret is not starting sooner. In saving, restoring, and developing Iola Mills
and its contents, we hope to show visitors, guests, and residents, just how
wonderful and unique this area was and is."
Iola's Heritage
LISTED ON THE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES
Iola Mills began in 1853 when Samuel Chandler clammed the river to
power a sawmill and then added a gristmill in 1860. The mill operations
and property were sold to Henry Wipf and his sons Fred and Jacob in
1863. The Wipf family and their descendants owned and operated the
mills for over too years. The gristmill (also a flouring mill and later a
planing mill) used waterpower to run the mill until it ceased operations.
The sawmill which stood on the property closest to the river until 1930
was powered by a steam engine that was located in the 'stone' building
just south of the gristmill. Mellowing mill, the engine house and the sawmill office are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. In 1963 Bob and Stella Strand bought the property from the Wigs and opened a museum in the mill. All of the original equipment and many other collections are still in the building. When the Fucik's bought the property, the museum was closed while a concerted effort was begun to save and restore the building itself. The mill now has a restored foundation, a new roof and about 60% of the siding and windows have been replaced. The original turbine has been rebuilt and water is again being used to generate power.
Experience the Millstone
HANDMADE GELATO. CAUSAL DINING. ESPRESSO BAR. LOCAL BREWS.
In what was built as the gift shop for the museum, a restaurant opened in 2007. The shop features frozen treats, sandwiches, salads, locally brewed beer, special pizza nights and an espresso bar. The frozen treat menu features handmade Italian gelato made the way ice cream was intended, low in butterfat, dense, creamier texture and intense flavors. Trained by Italian Gelato Master, Luciano Ferrari, the Millstone employees make the gelato in-house with fresh ingredients.
