The Bressler Mill, shown in this undated photograph, was located on Elkhorn creek in Section 33 of Jordan Township. Here, a one horse sleigh with woman seated is about to depart the area; she is looking at an excited dog who apparently does not want her to leave. A quick study of the picture seems to indicate the mill was built in two sections with the right-hand building possibly the older as it has a solid stone foundation, while the left has raised stone pillars.
Editor's note: The History of Whiteside County Illinois by Bent-Wilson, 1877, cites the following on p.257: "In 1838 Simeon M. Coe and family arrived... Mr. Coe built his cabin at a spring in the grove, and at once erected a saw mill." Still later, on p.264 under the biography of Charles W. Miles (1812-1851): "He built the saw mill known as the Coe mill, now Bressler's, which he ran for several years." It is interesting that both references are to a saw mill while an 1872 plat map denotes "grist mill" and on the back of this photo was written Bressler Grist Mill. There is an advertisement on hand at SRFHS from the Whiteside Times, Rock Falls, dated April 11, 1877, which reads "Bressler's Mill, on the Elkhorn, is Manufacturing Best Quality Rye and Wheat Flour...", so that leaves the question: Was the Coe saw mill later turned into a grist mill? Can anyone shed any light on this descrepancy?
