Two miles off Highway 61 is the restored Pickwick Mill (26421 County Rd. 7, 507/452-9658, www.pickwickmill.org [1], 10 a.m.–5 p.m. Tues.–Sat., 1–5 p.m. Sun. summer, Sat.–Sun. only May, Sept., and Oct., $3 adults), which operated from 1856 to 1980.
Today the building has been extensively fixed up inside, but most of the original machinery and some assorted supplies remain, much of it just lying around where the last owners left it. The mill no longer grinds grains, but the 20-foot waterwheel still turns the complex series of wooden gears.
While the inside is interesting, the solid, six-story limestone building is just as impressive from the outside. You can dine with a mill view across Big Trout Creek at the popular Pickwick Inn (24731 County Rd. 7, 507/454-7750, 11 a.m.–9 p.m. Tues.–Fri., 11 a.m.–10 p.m. Sat., 11 a.m.–9 p.m. Sun., closed Mon., $7–25).
Links:
[1] http://www.pickwickmill.org