The Capital-Journal

LINDSBORG - The past comes to life May 6 and 7 at the Old Mill Museum with Millfest 2006.

The event celebrates Kansas heritage with tours of the 1898 Smoky Valley Flour Mill in operation, demonstrations of traditional arts, food and musical entertainment.

The 1898 flour mill operates only once a year. Unlike the older grist mill that used stones to grind, this mill uses corrugated rollers to process wheat into flour. It is the "grand-daddy of the modern mill." The Smoky Valley Flour Mill operated from 1898 to 1955, shipping flour across the world.

Volunteers completed its restoration in 1981.

The polished wood of the interior reflects the craftsmanship of an earlier era and the care lavished on the mill during restoration.

Guides walk visitors through the mill with all the machinery in motion. A new tour begins every 10 minutes. People age 13 and older can tour the mill from 9:30 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. May 6 and noon to 4:30 p.m. May 7. Mill tours are limited to those older than 13 for safety reasons.