Danger and Disaster at the Mill Tour

Flour milling could be a dangerous job. Workers were exposed to constantly moving machinery, high-powered water turbines, and tall grain elevators where one wrong move might have disastrous consequences. This tour of the Washburn A Mill will explore the dangers that workers faced on the job, including the deadly 1878 mill explosion that led to the destruction and rebuilding of the riverfront industrial district. The tour will also include discussions of daily workplace machinery hazards such as the “Humphrey manlift,” that took the life of a mill worker in 1936, and the dangers of working in the related railroad and lumber industries.

The tour will take place in the historic Washburn A Mill. The tour includes no more than 1 mile of moderately paced walking on uneven surfaces. Please call ahead to make arrangements for guests with limited mobility. Tour price includes museum admission. Discount for MNHS members.