301 N Main Old Mill

Warkentin Mill, 1879

NR KR

Monarch Mills was built in 1879 by D. Hamill. The large building with the mansard roof was purchase by Bernhard Warkentin in 1886 and renamed the Newton Milling Co. Warkentin is known for his encouragement of the settlement of Mennonite immigrant from Russia to south central Kansas. He encouraged them to also bring the seeds for the Turkey Red hard winter wheat variety with them. This variety of wheat was more suitable to the Kansas environment and could withstand the harsh winter weather. However, Turkey Red was hard to mill and after Warkentin purchased the mill, he introduced a new kind of mill, the roller mill. The hardy, high yield wheat variety thrived in Kansas and its enormous productivity made this region the breadbasket of the world.

In the 1970s, the building was at risk and was in the process of demolition when Lloyd Smith, and local manufacturer and inventor, bought the building. The roof had been mostly demolished before it could be stopped. During restoration, the original blueprints were found, enabling reconstruction of the mansard roof. Today, the Old Mill houses several businesses and a restaurant.

Bernhard & Wilhelmina Warkentin built their home in 1886 at 211 E. 1st. It is now a carefully preserved house museum.

(Billie Wilson, Kristine Schmucker)