Shoddy Mill Relocated to Stillwater

The Shoddy Mill and Warehouse has a new home in Stillwater.

Crews on Wednesday night/Thursday morning, moved the two buildings from Oak Park Heights to their permanent location across from the River Oasis Cafe on the St. Croix riverbank. The buildings are now owned by the city of Stillwater and will be renovated and used as part of the proposed loop trail in Stillwater.

The move cost $1.2 million.

The buildings were constructed in 1890 and owned by Moritz and Bertha (Gardner) Bergstein. Inside these buildings, workers made shoddy, a woolen yarn made from used clothing. The shoddy was then shipped by rail from Stillwater to Minneapolis and made into mattresses at a factory owned by Moritz’s brother, Ignatz. 

Two buildings remain from the Bergstein enterprise—a small stone building that contained the mill machine that made the shoddy and a large wood-frame warehouse that stored fabric. 

UPDATED FROM:

Plans to relocate the Shoddy Mill and Warehouse from Oak Park Heights to Stillwater will move forward next week.

The move will take place sometime between 10 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 14, and 5 a.m. Thursday, Nov. 15, weather permitting. Highway 95 and Highway 36 will be closed during that time.

MnDOT initially planned on closing Highway 95 and Highway 36 overnight Wednesday, Nov. 7, while crews move the Bergstein Shoddy Mill and Warehouse, but the buildings weren't ready to be transported.

MnDOT recently released the video embedded above to describe this mitigation item of the St. Croix River Crossing project.

RELATED: Shoddy Mill: Is Historical Preservation Worth the Cost?

Shoddy Mill Relocation Project Delayed

The Shoddy Mill and Warehouse are listed in the National Register of Historic Places. The two buildings will be permanently located across from the River Oasis Cafe on the St. Croix riverbank as part of the proposed loop trail in Stillwater. 

The buildings were constructed in 1890 and owned by Moritz and Bertha (Gardner) Bergstein. Inside these buildings, workers made shoddy, a woolen yarn made from used clothing. The shoddy was then shipped by rail from Stillwater to Minneapolis and made into mattresses at a factory owned by Moritz’s brother, Ignatz. 

Two buildings remain from the Bergstein enterprise—a small stone building that contained the mill machine that made the shoddy and a large wood-frame warehouse that stored fabric. 

The city of Stillwater will own and determine the future purpose of the buildings.