The Terrace Setting

As one strolls the Historic Terrace Mill District one observes examples of how things looked in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. It begins with the reconstructed 1870's log house adjacent to the Keystone Arch bridge. Oxcart trails are still evident north of Terrace. Most certainly the Chippewa and Sioux roamed this very same territory for centuries. The arrowheads, stone scraping and cutting tools, fieldstone mallet heads, etc. found in surrounding fields are part of the recorded history. The recently excavated mass Indian burial site in Starbuck is certainly part of our local history. The Runestone and mooring stones are offered as evidence of Vikings roaming these very same hills and valleys some 600 years ago. One such mooring stone is located just south east of Terrace.

Historic Terrace Mill District Map

Other Nearby Attractions

Ordway Prairie

Located about six miles Southeast of Terrace on Hwy No.104. More than 425 plant species have been identified in the 582 acres in Ordway Prairie. It is open to the public for walks, hikes and nature studies. Found along the Glacial Ridge Trail.

Glacial Ridge Trail

The Glacial Ridge Trail Scenic Byway travels through lovely, rural countryside and meanders along scenic lakes that were created by giant glaciers from the Ice Age.

Pope County Museum

Located at 809 South Lakeshore Drive Glenwood, MN 56334. Contact Curator: Merlin Peterson at 320-634-3293 or email. Open Tuesday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and starting Memorial Day until Labor Day, Sundays 1 to 4 p.m. Visit the campus of six historical buildings tracing Pope County History. There are on-going displays, pioneer history, Indian arts and crafts, Trappers Cabin & Hunting Trophies and children's displays. The genealogy reference library is open Tuesday through Saturday.

Pope Art

Pope Art, a non-profit corporation, is located right in Terrace on Village Square Drive. An art Gallery and Friday night concert venue during the summer. Contact Merlin Peterson at (320) ART-SHOW or email.

Pope County History

Learn more about Terrace and the rest of Pope County at the Pope County History site.

The Terrace Mill
The first mill on the site was built in 1870 by William Moses and brothers John and George Wheeler. In 1895 the mill operation was dismantled and moved to Brooten. The present flour mill was constructed in 1903.

Keystone Arch Bridge
The Keystone Arch Bridge was built in 1903, completely restored in 1998. and dedicated in 1999. The fieldstone and earthen dam was constructed in the 1870's. The present weir dam was part of the 1998/1999 restoration project.

Century Old Log Cabin
The log house re-assembled in 1980-83 at the Terrace Mil near the dam and Keystone arch bridge, is one of the first homes in Terrace. It was originally located west of the river in the glade directly behind the mill.

Heritage Cottage

This small cottage was built in the 1950's and was purchased from the Davidson estate in April, 1982. It is decorated with typical Scandinavian furnishings and folk art.

Stone House
The "Miller's House" Built in 1930.

Terrace Store

The historic Terrace General Store was constructed in 1903 as the Skinner Drug Store in upper Terrace and was moved to the current site in 1947. It was placed on the national registry of historic places in 1982.

National Register of Historic Places Info

Statement of Significance

The Terrace "Flour" Mill Historic District is significant as a unified cluster of flour mill buildings and structures typical of the modest rural milling operations which once existed at literally hundreds of Minnesota locations in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. It particularly exemplifies the rural water power type of complex and included wintin the district are all of the essential elements: the water power flour mill building, the mill dam which served to impound the water in the mill pond, the raceway system which fed the water from the pond to the mill, two bridges which carried incoming grain and outgoing flour shipments across the dammed river, and the house built by the last miller to operate the flour mill.

Locally the district has historic significance for two reasons: (1) It is the site of the first flour mill to be built in the county (1870) and (2) the mill was an important contributor to the local and regional economy from its construction in 1903 to the end of all commercial operations in the building about 1967. The house, dam and 1915 bridge remain in use today and adaptive reuse for the mill building is occuring.

The flour mill itself is significant for several reasons: (1) its construction and water turbine engineering are typical of small water power installations of the period; (2) it is now one of only 24 extant early water power flour and grist mill buildings in Minnesota outside the Twin Cities, and (3) it is the only surviving mill structure in the county which once had five water power and four steam power mills.

Terrace Mill Historic District Map

In Terrace, Minnesota