Vintage News: Nordyke Flour Mill and the Wilson Brothers’ Houses

The Nordyke Flour Mill (left) and Joseph Issac, (known by J.I.) Wilson’s House (right) in southwest Mason Valley, Nevada: Joseph Issac, (known by J.I. or Joe) Wilson (standing left), Alvin Harry Forbush on the right. This photo was taken sometime in the early 1900s, before 1918:

Photo from UNR Special Collections.

In 2025, Evan Pellegrini wrote: “Joe’s brother, James William ‘Billy’ Wilson’s house is on the right in the background, which burned down. Isaac Joseph “Joe” Wilson’s house is still standing out of view to the left (the Nordyke House).”

Chuck Chitwood reported that, “It was 1918 when the (Billy) Wilson’s house and mill burned down…” Chuck also said, “This is a picture (below) of what the original Nordyke House (Joe Wilson’s) looked like reconstructed after the trip from Silver City. It was finished in 1908. So that picture (above) had to be between 1908 and 1918. There is still remnants of the foundation from the one that burnt down. I remember when we where kids searching around finding melted silverware, parts of pitcher frame’s door hinges lots of glass, and other miscellaneous Nevada treasures. Within the old foundation area…”

Here is a photo of the Nordyke House in 2021:

In 2025, Georgiene Smith reported: “My dad told me about that flour mill, his name was George Elmer Forbush. Alvin Harry Forbush (in the top photo) was his brother and lived in Fallon.”

This is what the Nordyke Flour Mill looked like in 2021:

Mason Valley artist & author John F. Frank McGowan wrote: “My records of the Wilsons show that the Billy Wilson’s house did not burn down. It was his brother’s Joseph Issac, (known by J.I.) house burned down in 1918 and they moved to Yerington. This is covered in Chapter 4 of my book titled “Pioneer Marriage”.”

Thank you to all who contributed information and/or photographs for this article. -Pizen Switch Times