The Millrace

© Photographed July 10, 2015

Mazomanie, Dane County, Wisconsin

43° 10.49′ N, 89° 47.539′ W

Google Map

The Millrace

The design of Mazomanie called for some of the water from Black Earth Creek to be diverted under the tracks and into Lake Marion. From there it was directed to the Lynch and Walker Flouring Mil, then back into the creek. At the point where the lower millpond ended at Cramer Street, the millpond began its underground passage into the mill. In the basement of the mill, the water was at first used to drive a large waterwheel and later to drive water turbines.

From the mill the water continued its underground course beneath the main line of railroad tracks. It surfaced to continue its flow through an open trench. The millrace then passed under two narrow stone bridges on Crescent and Hudson Streets. In 1905 the open trench between Hudson Street and Black Earth Creek was replaced by a covered concrete culvert. In 1913 the portion between the tracks and Crescent Street and later the portion between Crescent Street and Hudson Street were covered. Bridges over the millrace on Crescent and Hudson Streets were widened several times to accommodate increased pedestrian and vehicular traffic.

When the mill ceased water turbine operation in 1950, the millrace was of no further use. In 1990 a culvert replaced the remaining open portions of the millrace between the mill and Black Earth Creek. The concrete culvert was run through an elaborate stone archway rediscovered under Hudson Street.

The marker is located at the entrance to The Old Feed Mill, and is accessible from southbound Cramer Street, south of its intersection with Crescent Street, at or near 114 Cramer Street, Mazomanie, Wisconsin 53560.

The Old Feed Mill, Mazomanie, Wisconsin's Premiere Dining

These markers are also at this location:

• Lake Marion 
• Lynch and Walker Flouring Mill (1857-1900)
• The Lynch and Walker Flouring Mill
• The Train Wreck of 1906

 Lynch and Walker Mill -- about 1876

 Lynch and Walker Mill -- about 1905

Plat of Mazomanie - 1873

With the Lynch and Walker Mill visible to the left.

The marker is located at The Old Feed Mill.

The marker is located at The Old Feed Mill.

The marker is located in Mazomanie, Wisconsin.