Forbes Mill
Encyclopedia
Forbes Mill is a now-defunct flour mill
originally built in 1854 located in Los Gatos, California
, which now serves as a museum
after having been saved from destruction in 1982. The mill is the first commercial building to be established in the city of Los Gatos. The existing two-story building is actually a storage annex which was added to the original four-story stone mill building in the fall of 1880.
Forbes Mill was built as the Santa Rosa Flour Mill by James Alexander Forbes
who was born in Scotland
in 1805. He came to California in about 1831 and served as Vice-Consul in San Francisco
for the British government.
The California Gold Rush
gave James the idea to put up a flour
mill as there were none in California
at the time and the price of flour was running at $50/barrel. He found a location on Los Gatos Creek
that he thought would provide sufficient water power. In 1850 he purchased 2000 acres (8.1 km²) in the area of the Los Gatos Creek and proceeded to build a mill. In 1853 he raised the money for the construction, borrowing $130,000 from two lenders (including one who charged an interest
rate of 3% per month), and in 1854 the mill was built. However, the milling machinery had to be shipped from New York
around Cape Horn
. Once it arrived, Forbes had trouble installing it, but eventually, the mill started grinding flour on December 1, 1855.
The opening of Forbes Mill was an auspicious moment in the history of the Santa Clara Valley
. Built on the site of a Mexican rancho, the mill represented the shift of land ownership from the Californio
Don
s to the new settlers arriving after the Mexican-American War. The first three stories of the mill were built of stone quarried
from the Los Gatos Canyon. The top story was wood, cut from trees in the mountains above Los Gatos. In 1880 an annex was attached to the north wall of the mill building. The town that grew around this building was first called Forbes Mill, then Forbestown, and finally Los Gatos.
Unfortunately, Forbes knew nothing about flour milling. He had built a dam
0.5 mile (0.80467 km) upstream on the creek, carrying water via a flume
to two 20 feet (6.1 m) high water wheel
s. However, a 20 feet (6.1 m) high water drop proved to be inefficient, so he had to keep raising the water level. Not only that, but there was only really enough water in the creek to power the mill during the winter months, meaning that the machinery sat idle for much of the year. Furthermore, by the time the mill was in operation, competing mills had been constructed and the Gold Rush was coming to an end, thus driving flour prices down to a mere $5/barrel.
Besides his outstanding loans, Forbes had also lost a lot of money speculating
on wheat and flour and was forced into bankruptcy
. He eventually defaulted
on his loans and the mill and land were sold in 1857 to Gustave Touchard, one of his creditors. Forbes continued to operate the mill for Touchard, but ultimately was evicted
from the property in 1858. Touchard hired others to run the mill, but they did not have much success with it, either, although he was able to sell parcels of the land for a tidy profit.
In 1866, he sold the mill to William H. Rogers, who had previously worked at a flour mill in Detroit
, and had opened his own Mountain Flourmills (one of Santa Rosa's competitors) in Placerville
. He had sold his interest in his company in 1860 and served as postmaster
of Placerville and sheriff
of El Dorado County
until his purchase of now-named "Clifton Mill". His first act was to raise the waterhead to 65 feet (19.8 m), replace the water wheels with turbine
wheels, and upgrade the machinery. With his experience, Rogers was able to turn the mill into a profitable operation.
In 1869, he brought in partners W.S. McMurtry and J.W. McMillen and renamed the company as the Los Gatos Manufacturing Co. The waterhead was increased to 200 feet (61 m) and the company constructed reservoir
s to hold enough water to allow for year-round production. With these improvements, the mill was able to produce 100 barrels of flour a day. In 1881, the Los Gatos News wrote, "While other cities and towns may boast of a larger population, for the manufacture of the finest grade of flour known to the markets of the civilized world, Los Gatos Flouring Mills stands preeminent."
It continued as a flour mill until 1887 when it became successively a power plant for the Los Gatos Ice and Power Company, a brewing and bottling company, the Los Gatos Gas Company and finally the PG&E substation for Los Gatos. The original "Santa Rosa" Flour Mill building was torn down in 1916. The mill remained a storehouse for PG&E until after World War II. It was then abandoned and finally in 1971 it was revived as a youth center for Los Gatos.
number 458. It is also listed on the National Register of Historic Places
.
Gristmill
The terms gristmill or grist mill can refer either to a building in which grain is ground into flour, or to the grinding mechanism itself.- Early history :...
originally built in 1854 located in Los Gatos, California
Los Gatos, California
The Town of Los Gatos is an incorporated town in Santa Clara County, California, United States. The population was 29,413 at the 2010 census. It is located in the San Francisco Bay Area at the southwest corner of San Jose in the foothills of the Santa Cruz Mountains...
, which now serves as a museum
Museum
A museum is an institution that cares for a collection of artifacts and other objects of scientific, artistic, cultural, or historical importance and makes them available for public viewing through exhibits that may be permanent or temporary. Most large museums are located in major cities...
after having been saved from destruction in 1982. The mill is the first commercial building to be established in the city of Los Gatos. The existing two-story building is actually a storage annex which was added to the original four-story stone mill building in the fall of 1880.
Forbes Mill was built as the Santa Rosa Flour Mill by James Alexander Forbes
James Alexander Forbes (1805-1881)
James Alexander Forbes was the British vice-consul to Mexican California as well as the first British consul to the U.S. state of California...
who was born in Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
in 1805. He came to California in about 1831 and served as Vice-Consul in San Francisco
San Francisco, California
San Francisco , officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the financial, cultural, and transportation center of the San Francisco Bay Area, a region of 7.15 million people which includes San Jose and Oakland...
for the British government.
The California Gold Rush
California Gold Rush
The California Gold Rush began on January 24, 1848, when gold was found by James W. Marshall at Sutter's Mill in Coloma, California. The first to hear confirmed information of the gold rush were the people in Oregon, the Sandwich Islands , and Latin America, who were the first to start flocking to...
gave James the idea to put up a flour
Flour
Flour is a powder which is made by grinding cereal grains, other seeds or roots . It is the main ingredient of bread, which is a staple food for many cultures, making the availability of adequate supplies of flour a major economic and political issue at various times throughout history...
mill as there were none in California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
at the time and the price of flour was running at $50/barrel. He found a location on Los Gatos Creek
Los Gatos Creek (Santa Clara County, California)
The Los Gatos Creek runs 24 miles in California through Santa Clara Valley Water District's Guadalupe Watershed from the Santa Cruz Mountains northward through the Santa Clara Valley until its confluence with the Guadalupe River in downtown San Jose...
that he thought would provide sufficient water power. In 1850 he purchased 2000 acres (8.1 km²) in the area of the Los Gatos Creek and proceeded to build a mill. In 1853 he raised the money for the construction, borrowing $130,000 from two lenders (including one who charged an interest
Interest
Interest is a fee paid by a borrower of assets to the owner as a form of compensation for the use of the assets. It is most commonly the price paid for the use of borrowed money, or money earned by deposited funds....
rate of 3% per month), and in 1854 the mill was built. However, the milling machinery had to be shipped from New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
around Cape Horn
Cape Horn
Cape Horn is the southernmost headland of the Tierra del Fuego archipelago of southern Chile, and is located on the small Hornos Island...
. Once it arrived, Forbes had trouble installing it, but eventually, the mill started grinding flour on December 1, 1855.
The opening of Forbes Mill was an auspicious moment in the history of the Santa Clara Valley
Santa Clara Valley
The Santa Clara Valley is a valley just south of the San Francisco Bay in Northern California in the United States. Much of Santa Clara County and its county seat, San José, are in the Santa Clara Valley. The valley was originally known as the Valley of Heart’s Delight for its high concentration...
. Built on the site of a Mexican rancho, the mill represented the shift of land ownership from the Californio
Californio
Californio is a term used to identify a Spanish-speaking Catholic people, regardless of race, born in California before 1848...
Don
Don (honorific)
Don, from Latin dominus, is an honorific in Spanish , Portuguese , and Italian . The female equivalent is Doña , Dona , and Donna , abbreviated "Dª" or simply "D."-Usage:...
s to the new settlers arriving after the Mexican-American War. The first three stories of the mill were built of stone quarried
Quarry
A quarry is a type of open-pit mine from which rock or minerals are extracted. Quarries are generally used for extracting building materials, such as dimension stone, construction aggregate, riprap, sand, and gravel. They are often collocated with concrete and asphalt plants due to the requirement...
from the Los Gatos Canyon. The top story was wood, cut from trees in the mountains above Los Gatos. In 1880 an annex was attached to the north wall of the mill building. The town that grew around this building was first called Forbes Mill, then Forbestown, and finally Los Gatos.
Unfortunately, Forbes knew nothing about flour milling. He had built a dam
Dam
A dam is a barrier that impounds water or underground streams. Dams generally serve the primary purpose of retaining water, while other structures such as floodgates or levees are used to manage or prevent water flow into specific land regions. Hydropower and pumped-storage hydroelectricity are...
0.5 mile (0.80467 km) upstream on the creek, carrying water via a flume
Flume
A flume is an open artificial water channel, in the form of a gravity chute, that leads water from a diversion dam or weir completely aside a natural flow. Often, the flume is an elevated box structure that follows the natural contours of the land. These have been extensively used in hydraulic...
to two 20 feet (6.1 m) high water wheel
Water wheel
A water wheel is a machine for converting the energy of free-flowing or falling water into useful forms of power. A water wheel consists of a large wooden or metal wheel, with a number of blades or buckets arranged on the outside rim forming the driving surface...
s. However, a 20 feet (6.1 m) high water drop proved to be inefficient, so he had to keep raising the water level. Not only that, but there was only really enough water in the creek to power the mill during the winter months, meaning that the machinery sat idle for much of the year. Furthermore, by the time the mill was in operation, competing mills had been constructed and the Gold Rush was coming to an end, thus driving flour prices down to a mere $5/barrel.
Besides his outstanding loans, Forbes had also lost a lot of money speculating
Speculation
In finance, speculation is a financial action that does not promise safety of the initial investment along with the return on the principal sum...
on wheat and flour and was forced into bankruptcy
Bankruptcy
Bankruptcy is a legal status of an insolvent person or an organisation, that is, one that cannot repay the debts owed to creditors. In most jurisdictions bankruptcy is imposed by a court order, often initiated by the debtor....
. He eventually defaulted
Default (finance)
In finance, default occurs when a debtor has not met his or her legal obligations according to the debt contract, e.g. has not made a scheduled payment, or has violated a loan covenant of the debt contract. A default is the failure to pay back a loan. Default may occur if the debtor is either...
on his loans and the mill and land were sold in 1857 to Gustave Touchard, one of his creditors. Forbes continued to operate the mill for Touchard, but ultimately was evicted
Eviction
How you doing???? Eviction is the removal of a tenant from rental property by the landlord. Depending on the laws of the jurisdiction, eviction may also be known as unlawful detainer, summary possession, summary dispossess, forcible detainer, ejectment, and repossession, among other terms...
from the property in 1858. Touchard hired others to run the mill, but they did not have much success with it, either, although he was able to sell parcels of the land for a tidy profit.
In 1866, he sold the mill to William H. Rogers, who had previously worked at a flour mill in Detroit
Detroit, Michigan
Detroit is the major city among the primary cultural, financial, and transportation centers in the Metro Detroit area, a region of 5.2 million people. As the seat of Wayne County, the city of Detroit is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan and serves as a major port on the Detroit River...
, and had opened his own Mountain Flourmills (one of Santa Rosa's competitors) in Placerville
Placerville, California
Placerville is the county seat of El Dorado County, California. The population was 10,389 at the 2010 census, up from 9,610 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Sacramento–Arden-Arcade–Roseville Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:...
. He had sold his interest in his company in 1860 and served as postmaster
Postmaster
A postmaster is the head of an individual post office. Postmistress is not used anymore in the United States, as the "master" component of the word refers to a person of authority and has no gender quality...
of Placerville and sheriff
Sheriff
A sheriff is in principle a legal official with responsibility for a county. In practice, the specific combination of legal, political, and ceremonial duties of a sheriff varies greatly from country to country....
of El Dorado County
El Dorado County, California
El Dorado County is a county located in the historic Gold Country in the Sierra Nevada Mountains and foothills of the U.S. state of California. The 2010 population was 181,058. The El Dorado county seat is in Placerville....
until his purchase of now-named "Clifton Mill". His first act was to raise the waterhead to 65 feet (19.8 m), replace the water wheels with turbine
Turbine
A turbine is a rotary engine that extracts energy from a fluid flow and converts it into useful work.The simplest turbines have one moving part, a rotor assembly, which is a shaft or drum with blades attached. Moving fluid acts on the blades, or the blades react to the flow, so that they move and...
wheels, and upgrade the machinery. With his experience, Rogers was able to turn the mill into a profitable operation.
In 1869, he brought in partners W.S. McMurtry and J.W. McMillen and renamed the company as the Los Gatos Manufacturing Co. The waterhead was increased to 200 feet (61 m) and the company constructed reservoir
Reservoir
A reservoir , artificial lake or dam is used to store water.Reservoirs may be created in river valleys by the construction of a dam or may be built by excavation in the ground or by conventional construction techniques such as brickwork or cast concrete.The term reservoir may also be used to...
s to hold enough water to allow for year-round production. With these improvements, the mill was able to produce 100 barrels of flour a day. In 1881, the Los Gatos News wrote, "While other cities and towns may boast of a larger population, for the manufacture of the finest grade of flour known to the markets of the civilized world, Los Gatos Flouring Mills stands preeminent."
It continued as a flour mill until 1887 when it became successively a power plant for the Los Gatos Ice and Power Company, a brewing and bottling company, the Los Gatos Gas Company and finally the PG&E substation for Los Gatos. The original "Santa Rosa" Flour Mill building was torn down in 1916. The mill remained a storehouse for PG&E until after World War II. It was then abandoned and finally in 1971 it was revived as a youth center for Los Gatos.
History Museum in the Forbes Mill Annex
Today the old mill annex operates as the History Museum in the Forbes Mill Annex,and features rotating and traveling exhibits of local history. On June 10, 1950, the California Centennial Commission commemorated the mill's contribution to the State's rich past by designating it as California Historical LandmarkCalifornia Historical Landmark
California Historical Landmarks are buildings, structures, sites, or places in the state of California that have been determined to have statewide historical significance by meeting at least one of the criteria listed below:...
number 458. It is also listed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
.