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STORY INDEX Population of Indiana's
northeast counties Tracking railroads: Longtime area auto dealers have 'seen it all' Amish continue long-held
traditions Cars accelerate lives of Noble County residents The price of cars: How much did it cost to drive one off the lot? Electric Interurban connected area to Fort Wayne, beyond LaGrange residents rally to save historic brick streets U.S. 6, Ind. 3: Kendallville's routes to growth Agriculture ever-changing, advancing in Noble County Comparisons: How far did the dollar stretch? Growing onions, peppermint made 'scents' in early 1900s The Gaby farm: A changing culture impacts 4-H County fair continues to be a big social event Thriving through the times: Downtown Kendallville adapts to a century of changes Dekko's philanthropy remains a 'valuable resource' Rinkel family still at the wheel of Greenfield Hills Commerce nothing new to Shipshewana: Town thrives as one of fastest-growing tourist areas in state Making do during the Great Depression: Retired hatchery owner recalls tough times, bright moments Mill a 'Star' business in Ligonier: Firm has been grinding wheat into flour for 113 years Elmer E. McCray had a major impact on Kendallville Richard R. Cole has long legacy Female executive has seen many changes in workforce Working women: From assisting war effort to competing in global markets Wolcottville a center of commerce, industry in 1800s Mongoquinong area was early LaGrange County commercial center 'The cheapest hired hand we ever had.' Electricity made life brighter, easier down on the farm Monument company's history set in stone Historic Corn School dates back to 1906
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Rinkel family still at the wheel of Greenfield Mills By NATALIE HESS
GREENFIELD MILLS - Greenfield Mills earned a reputation as a "jinxed old mill" during the years before Henry Rinkel purchased it in 1904. What gave the mill this stigma? Let's just say that the mill had some issues with ownership throughout the 19th century. In 1835 visionary Samuel Burnside built a saw mill on the banks of Crooked Creek in northeast LaGrange County. Peter Beisel decided to construct a grist mill nearby and use materials from Burnside's mill to build his own mill. "Years ago water was the determining factor of where
you could build a mill," says Howard Rinkel, present owner
of Greenfield Mills. "Mills ran off of water power. There
was no electric power." Unfortunately Beisel ran into financial trouble and could not complete the grist mill. The mill had to wait until 1846 to be completed by Amos Davis. The "jinxed old mill" spent half of a century being tossed around to different owners. When Henry Rinkel purchased it in 1904, the mill was being used as a dance hall because the Crooked Creek dam had been washed out months before. Skeptical neighbors assisted Rinkel for two long years with their picks and shovels. Extensive repairs were necessary at the obsolete mill. Finally, in 1906, Rinkel began producing "New Wrinkle" flour. The mill is still producing the same quality flour. However, now the flour is labeled "New Rinkel" and Crooked Creek has been renamed Fawn River. Since 1904, Greenfield Mills has been family-owned, passed along from father to son two times. Howard Rinkel is a third-generation owner. A fourth, fifth and sixth generation exist, though none are designated to take over the mill. While there were once hundreds of small wheat mills in Indiana, there are now only a handful left in the country. "Business has changed a lot. Farmers used to come and buy a year's supply of flour from us," said Rinkel. "(The flour industry) is all commercialized now, so our main buyers are bakeries."
Rinkel explains that years ago grocery stores were family-owned, and customers baked from scratch. Now grocery stores are massive supermarket chains. Customers use mixes instead of flour. "It is a faster world now," said Rinkel's wife, Helen. In 1974, Howard, Howard's father and Howard's son David broke ground on a "New Mill" building just down the road from the "Old Mill." The "New Mill" could produce the same amount of flour in one room that the old mill produced on four floors.
The "New Mill" was approached by an Ohio company in 1975 about grinding organic buckwheat flour. Since then, Howard's daughter, Joyce Rinkel, has taken over all of the organic business. The "New Mill" was OCIA certified in 1996 and now produces only organic flour. Today organic flour is Greenfield Mills' most successful product. Semis carry out loads of 40,000 pounds about once a week. These loads are transported to Portsmouth, Ark., for the making of crackers. Greenfield Mills is the oldest commercial water-powered mill left in the state and the oldest business in LaGrange County. The organic industry of the "New Mill" has the potential to carry on the success of Greenfield Mills for years to come. |
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For many years, the "New
Mill" produced flour used to bread Kentucky Fried Chicken.
But after Colonel Sanders' death in the late 1980s, KFC changed
its recipe and no longer used the soft winter wheat flour.