In 1837, William Meek and his sons built a brush-wing dam. While this enabled the powering of a grist mill, it was not sufficient for Meeks plans. Meek then got the go-ahead from the 1939 Iowa Territorial Legislature to build a dam completely across the Des Moines River, thereby making the river non-navigatable, even though locks were built into the dam.

Within several years of Meek's Mill being built, the Des Moines River banks were lined with other grist, flour, and lumber mills. Farmers came from as far away as 100 miles for Meek's Mill to grind their grain, such was the reputation of the Meek Bros. mill. Wagons were ferried across the Des Moines River at Meek's Ferry. Bonaparte's hotels and businesses grew accordingly, as many settlers had to stay several days for the mill to get their grain finished.

The plaque on the outside wall of Meek's Grist Mill commemorating it's inclusion into the National Register of Historic Places.

Meek's Mill became Bonaparte's Retreat, a restaurant known for 100 miles around for it's good food, steamboat and grist mill relics, and decor of Navajo rugs, coverlets, and quilts. Also drawing the attention of the diners are the walnut back bar and beams two foot thick.

The town of Meek's Mill was renamed Bonaparte by Meek in 1841, soon after the construction of the grist and saw mills. The brick 40'X 55' mill of 3.5 stories with a stone basement, was built in 1878 after the first 1836 mill burned in 1841.