This geocache is part of the West Bend GeoTour:
Twenty geocaches have been hidden throughout our historic city that highlight the best of West Bend in any season!
To earn a geocoin, teams must pick up a West Bend GeoTour Passport from the Chamber of Commerce (preferred method) or download a passport. Collect 25 points as detailed in the passport. See complete details at Link to Updated Passport: West Bend GeoTour Passport.
Remember to record the password from this cache in your GeoTour Passport!
GeoTour Stop #06: Historic Suckow Mill and Young America Bridge
The village of Young America was once a thriving river-edge community. In its heyday back in the 1860's, it had a brick flour mill, a carpenter firm, a wagon factory, a sawmill, a barrel factory, a blacksmith, two general stores, and even a hotel named the American House. But when the railroad arrived in 1873 and bypassed Young America in favor of Barton and West Bend, the village started to decline. However, several buildings have survived as a reminder of its role in local history. If you walk around the town, you can see the Mill, the Iron Bridge, the Town Hall, the Saloon, the store, an old Cheese Factory, and many old residences.
THE SUCKOW MILL: The village of Young America was founded in 1851 and started with a dam and sawmill built by Morris Waite on the Milwaukee River. Unfortunately, the original mill operated for only 3 hours before being destroyed by fire. A brick and stucco flour mill was re-built on this site by Cook and Elliot in 1856 and, after many additions and improvements by various owners over the years, was purchased by Charles J Suckow in 1905.
The Suckow family constructed a new dam, opened a feed mill, and added a direct current electrical generator. In 1914, the Young America Power, Light, and Milling Company was incorporated and supplied power to Young America and Barton until the 1930's when it was bought by the Wisconsin Gas and Electric Company. The Dam was removed in 1992, but the Mill still stands. Please be respectful of this historic building as it is now a private residence.
THE IRON BRIDGE: After an old wooden bridge burned in 1875, another bridge was built in its place until a brewery wagon and a water tank broke through. Consequently, in 1889, this iron bridge was built and was used for over 100 years. It is now closed to vehicular traffic, but you can walk on it and enjoy the scenery from the bridge.
Source: The Washington County Historical Society (The History Center)
The Geocache: The cache is a film canister across the road from the Historic Mill.