For a print edition, please contact the editor of our Special Publications, Jennifer Mertz.
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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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Mill a 'Star' business in Ligonier Firm has been grinding wheat into flour for 113 years By BOB BUTTGEN LIGONIER - The Star of the West Milling Co., one of the oldest
continuous businesses in For more than a century the mill has been turning wheat into flour, as well as offering employment opportunities and tax revenues for the city, county and state. When the mill opened back in 1886, it was celebrated as one of the first steel-roller mills in the country, according to Ken Schuman, the facility's current general manager. "It was considered the most modern mill in the country," he says with pride. Schuman is no stranger to the mill and its operation, as it was his great-great grandfather, Marcus Lyon, who opened the mill in the 19th century, under the name of Ligonier Milling. A few years later the mill was renamed the Lyon and Greenleaf Mill and stayed under that name for almost a century. It has always been at the same location on Gerber Street, at the foot of the city's industrial park just off of Ind. 5. In 1987, the profitable business was purchased by the Star of the West Milling Co., based in Frankenmuth, Mich., and the mill's name was changed again.
Some of the mill's biggest customers include pretzel makers and licorice producers, as well as Kellogg's cereals and Archway cookies. "Our flour ends up in pastries, cake mixes, pie crusts, doughnuts and many other items," Schuman explained recently while giving a tour of the mill to a visitor. The wheat is purchased from grain terminals, co-ops and farmers throughout the Midwest. At the mill, wheat is broken into five components, including wheat germ and coarse bran along with five varieties of flour. The company custom produces flour for different companies and can shift gears quickly to change the type of flour being produced. The company built its own spur from the railroad tracks that run through Ligonier, allowing empty freight cars to be diverted through the mill where they are filled with thousands of pounds of flour destined for a cereal factory or cookie manufacturing plant. In 1998, Star of the West constructed two huge storage towers, each 130 feet high, to go along with two other existing towers. The new towers can hold 330,000 bushels of wheat each. There is enough storage capacity for 2 million bushes of wheat, according to Schuman. Star of the West is known not only as a good employer but also as a good citizen of the community. The company has never asked for a tax abatement. It has a reputation of helping its friends, including the Ligonier Fire Department which has several pieces of equipment purchased directly by Star of the West. |
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Ligonier,
celebrated its 113th anniversary on July 1.
Today the mill has 23 full-time
employees and annual revenues of $14 million, based on its ability
to produce 450,000 pounds of flour a day.