Adaptation was critical as farming practice transitioned away from spring wheat to the high yield, hardy Turkey Red winter wheat. Each flour mill in Harvey County encountered adversity, whether due to abundant competition, technology changes or calamities like fire or flood. Photo Source: HCHM collection.Ī Plethora of Flour Mills – ca. Prominent flour mills were Alta, Claassen, Consolidated, Goerz, and two “Warkentin” mills (one in Halstead and the other in Newton). They were in Burrton, Halstead, Hesston, Sedgwick, Walton and multiple mills in Newton. As a result, there was an abundance of flour mills over the years. The vast wheat production created new business opportunities in Harvey County-the milling of flour. That number climbed to 30.3 million bushels by 1890. With the introduction in 1880 of Turkey Red hard winter wheat, 17.3 million bushels were raised. In 1870, Kansas raised 2.5 million bushels of spring wheat. Before long, exports were made throughout the world. Introduced during the mid 1870s into the Kansas counties of Butler, Harvey, Marion, McPherson and Reno, the use of this variety of wheat spread across Kansas and then to neighboring states. Warkentin was instrumental in bringing Turkey Red wheat from southern Russia (the Ukraine) to Kansas. Bernhard Warkentin, a Russian German immigrant, determined the soil and climate in Kansas were favorable for Turkey Red, a variety of hard winter wheat. (Note: By going to the link, you’ll leave the HCHM website.)Ĭheck the HCHM website regularly for the addition of new on-line slideshows in this series on Harvey County, Kansas.Ĭlick anywhere on the first image below to scroll through Unit 7 – Agriculture in Harvey County Stimulated Flour Milling Industry.Ĭlick this slide to start Unit Seven on “Agriculture in Harvey County Stimulated Flour MIlling Industry.”įlour Milling Industry in Harvey County. Their former home in Halstead is a private residence and is not available for general public access. The same website gives excellent information about the Warkentin’s former home in Newton which is currently a museum that’s open to the public. Through Bernhard’s promotion of the hardy, high-yield Turkey Red hard winter wheat, Kansas realized enormous wheat productivity which made the region the “breadbasket of the world.” Learn more about the Warkentin story HERE. (Note: By going to the link, you’ll leave the HCHM website.) Often getting a year’s supply of flour and feed, farmers brought their wheat from as far west as Meade County, Kansas and south to the Oklahoma line. The mill site was a community center due to the park in the nearby woods as well as a meeting point for people from Moundridge, Buhler, Halstead and Burrton. A business of yesteryear that ground flour and feed, Alta Mill was a commercial enterprise situated in Alta Twp of northwest Harvey County. Through on-line exhibits, this slideshow series gives short stories about Harvey County and its cities and provides a sampling of the stories which can be discovered by viewing the on-site exhibits at HCHM, by examining source material in the Research Library and by utilizing the HCHM photo collection.įor even more stories of Harvey County’s people, events and businesses, check out: The growing, harvesting and milling of wheat helped make Kansas “the breadbasket of the world.” They were in Burrton, Halstead, Hesston, Newton, Sedgwick and Walton. As a result, the county had an abundance of flour mills over the years. In Harvey County, the vast wheat production created new business opportunities in the milling of wheat into flour. ![]() Proving to be hardy and of high yield, the use of this variety of wheat spread across Kansas and then to neighboring states. Turkey Red, a variety of hard winter wheat, was introduced during the mid 1870s into the Kansas counties of Butler, Harvey, Marion, McPherson and Reno. ![]() Agriculture in Harvey County Stimulated Flour Milling Industry
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