This last Saturday (6/23) Cyndie and I headed to Southeast Minnesota to tour two historic mills.  The one I have known about for a while and the other we recently learned about from the Innkeeper at the Jailhouse B&B in Preston, MN when we stayed there this past March.

It was another one of those gorgeous early summer days with 300+ miles of back roads out in front of us and a 12+ hour day.  Our first stop was at the Pickwick Mill in Pickwick, MN (just South of Winona, MN); the second stop was Schech’s Mill located between Caledonia, MN and Houston, MN.  Both offered great tours chocked full old belt-driven machinery.  Pickwick was more of a self-guided tour whereas Schech’s was more of an intimate tour with fascinating history and demonstrations from the proprietor.

I am working on the photos from each location and will post soon.  For now, though, the following shots are from all points between home, the two mills and back home again.