Maine Roller Mills is a flour mill in Otter Tail County, Minnesota on the Otter Tail River. The mill was constructed in 1888-1889 by William E. Thomas, the owner of a feed and flour operation in nearby Fergus. The mill construction was done by Royal Powers, an accomplished carpenter, able to build with just a plan in his head, not lkooking at blueprints or marking the lumber.

After the early 1900's,it became more efficient to operate mills with steam, gasoline, and/or electricity. Along with the fact that it was cheaper to get the processing done in Minneapolis-St. Paul than to do it locally, the mill closed in 1939. Photo by Rachel Roushey--rachel-roushey.artistwebsites.com/

The mill was designed to produce 65-75 barrels of flour a day when it opened in 1889. The mill was quite a success; so much so, that Thomas built an addition in 1895 to gring rye and buckwheat into flour. A stable was built, along with a bunkhouse for overnight patrons, with a general store opening across the road to provide staples. The store may be still in operation. The inadequate 1887 wooden, sandbag, dirt, & gravel dam was replaced in 1908 with one of rubble rock & concrete.

A local Activist, Geneva Tweten, led the fight to preserve the old mill, which was purchased by Otter Tail County in 1965 and is now a county park. The mill was placed on the National Register of Historic Places In 1975; as part of the Phelps Mill Historic District, which also includes the general store and an Italianate miller's house.GPS:46'22.82N,95'49.26W photo by Rachel Roushey-- rachel-roushey.artistwebsites.com/

Ray Phelps was hired a chief miller in 1906. The mill was sold to the Farmer Merchantile Company in 1919-20, then, again sold in 1928 to H. G. Everson for $10,500. This amount was $23,000 less than the 1919 sale, showing how little demand remained for a small milling business. The mill had probably deteriorated some, without repairs to futher account for the loss in value.