Historic Contexts Study and Phase II Inventory (Downtown Elk River) 2022

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Elk River's flour milling on the Elk River ended with the devastating flood of 1912, and sawmilling closed with the Houlton planning mill fire in 1923. (Check these dates.: what about flour elevator?) This reflected the general demise of flour and lumber industries in centers such as Minneapolis and Stillwater, but some early flour mills have persisted and grown to the present time, as Northfield and Hastings can attest. In Elk River as in other river towns, the mill owners acquired considerable wealth and were influential citizens. While Ard Godfrey had only a speculative interest in Elk River, the Houlton and Nickerson families were engaged in milling and banking for several generations, despite a series of devastating mill and downtown fires and the general decline of lumber and flour milling at the turn of the century. William H. Houlton (1840-?) was native of Houlton Maine. ' His family settled in Monticello, Wright County in 1856. After the Civil War William and his older brother Horatio operated a general store in Elk River. In 1873 he purchased a share of the flour and saw mills originally built by Ard Godfrey. As noted, his business evolved into Elk River Milling Company and his lumber interest as W. H. Houlton Co. Houlton also owned over 3,000 acres of farmland wand was active in Minnesota politics. He sold his interest in the Bank of Elk River, founded in 1885, to W.L. Babcock and Henry Castle in 1899. In 1896 Houlton and Babcock opened a real estate agency.' Houlton also established the First National Bank of Elk River in 1907. William's brother Horatio Houlton (1834-? ) farmed in Monticello before operating a train to bring Hudson Bay goods from St. Cloud to the Red River. In addition to operating a general store with his brother William, Horatio opened an Elk River sawmill and expanded his lumber interests in St. Paul and West St. Paul. Tohn Quincy A. Nickerson (1825- ) was the first of his family to play a leading role in the development of local industry. Nickerson was a native of Maine and arrived in Elk River in 1853. He was in the lumber business until the 1870s, and also operated a hotel and a general store, and was in the lumber business until the 1870s. Electrification and Water Supply In these days of advancement and progress, electricity is the key to success and is constantly coming into more general use, not only in the larger cities and towns, but in nearly all the smaller communities as well. Without electricity a city or town cannot expect to keep up with its rivals, but is sure to remain stagnant, while its more enterprising neighbors continue to grow. Sherburne County Star, July 2,1914, p. 1. Electrification was well underway in small Minnesota towns by 1912, and with its waterpower resource, city leaders were frustrated that the city had no generating plant. In 1914, F.D. Waterman founded the Elk River Power and Light Company. A new 250- foot reinforced concrete dam powered by a 40-inch waterwheel and a 150-kilwatt generator was built. A concrete and brick powerhouse measuring 30 x 30 was located on the east end of the dam. In 1915, a contract for an electrical distribution and street lighting system for was awarded to Sterling Electric. " Private wells served Elk River before a municipal water system was installed in.1920 (?). The present downtown water tower dates from 1920. It was manufactured by the Minneapolis Steel and Machinery Company. Elk River Historic Contexts Study Draft 412002 27 .r