The site was the location of Minneapolis' largest industrial building and the largest mill in the world.
The Washburn A Mill was built in 1874 by Cadwallader Washburn, a businessman from LaCrosse, Wisconsin.
With 200 workers the Washburns mill was one of the citys largest employers.
The ruins of Washburn A Mill now houses the Mill City Museum.
The mills received grain from the vast wheat belt that stretches across the Northern Plains.
But in the 1870s, millers developednew techniquesto grind flour that greatly improved flour quality.
This produced a high quality white flour, even better than winter wheat flour.
Minneapolis flour soon became the most desired flour in the county.
But the biggest hazard was that from fire.
The ensuring fire spread to several adjacent mills killing four more workers.
Within the night, Minneapoliss milling capacity was reduced by one-third.
When the mills manager explained that the explosion was due to rapidly burning flour dust, people were skeptic.
Washburn A Mill in 1976.
Image credit: Steve Plattner
Washburn A Mill today.
The new Washburn A Mill was completed in 1880, just two years after the explosion.
It was bigger and technologically more advanced than the one it replaced.
Ruins of Washburn A.
Mill after the explosion of 1878.
Image credit: Edward Augustus Bromley.
The mill continued to operate for decades even when the local milling industry underwent a decline.
The Washburn A Mill closed in 1965.
In 1991, fire struck once again consuming what was left of the empty building.
Image credit:Eric Kilby/Flickr
The Gold Medal Flour neon sign still lights above the Washburn A Mill building.
Image credit:Tony Webster/Flickr
