Nordyke Mill Intrigue Continues with New Research from Steve Plummer

From Steve Plummer on July 4, 2025: “The conflicting information in the contributions to your Nordyke Mill article (in Pizen Switch Times) prompted some research to clarify. My interest is more personal than I knew,  because my grandfather was Joe Wilson’s nephew, and he lived there with the Wilsons in 1900, employed as a miller. 

According to period articles in the Mason Valley News and Yerington Times, the house in the UNR photo (with Joe Wilson and Alvin Forbush) belonged to Joe (Joseph Isaac) Wilson, and it burned on May 8, 1916.  In the 1920 census, Joseph I. Wilson and family lived on West Street in Yerington, corroborating that it was their house that burned. 

The mill’s original stone warehouse was used for a dance and described as new in 1898, and a second warehouse, apparently attached to the first, was in place by March of 1906. In the UNR photo (on the left above), the stone structure appears no longer than the taller wooden part of the mill proper. In the glass plate image (on the right above) it’s about twice as long and has a conspicuous joint in the middle, so the UNR photo was probably shot between 1898 and 1906, and assuming the structure on the far left of the glass plate image is the Joe Wilson house, the plate was likely shot between 1906 and 1916.  

The mill was not destroyed in the 1916 fire. 

 The surviving “Nordyke House”  belonged to James William ‘Billy’ Wilson until he sold his ranch, including the house and mill, to Alfried Bohm in 1944. Construction of the house began in 1903 and it was occupied in 1906, when it was described as a “palatial and modern structure.” 

After the sale, the mill was converted to alfalfa meal production in 1949, and operated until it was destroyed by fire the night of  July 20, 1957.

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On July 6, 2025, Steve wrote, “I knew my great grandfather married a David Wilson daughter, but I always wondered how much the Plummers interacted with the Wilsons. Researching the old newspapers has shown it was a lot more than I imagined. 

“I’m still curious why so many believe the fire happened in 1918. The best explanation I have so far starts with Joe Wilson’s 1954 obituary in the Reno Gazette-Journal, which said (paraphrased) they moved to Yerington in 1918, because fire destroyed their home.

“It’s reasonable to assume the fire happened immediately before the move, but they actually stayed at Nordyke after the fire, possibly with brother Billy Wilson. A November 17, 1917 article said “Mrs. J. I. Wilson has purchased the Quinville home and will move in from the ranch and establish the family residence in town for the winter.” Frank Quinville had to travel from Bodie to complete the transaction. A 1957 “Days Gone By” clip from 1917 noted the purchase, and said the Quinville home was on West Street, where the Wilsons lived in the 1920 census. It seems they might well have completed the move in early 1918. 

“Saying the mill wasn’t involved in the fire could be challenged with ‘you can’t prove a negative,’ so for any doubters, A. H. Forbush, arguably the same Alvin in the UNR photo, took a lease with a six year option to operate the mill in 1922. He had previously worked there until 1904, and then again as head miller starting in 1913.  That suggests the UNR photo might be closer to 1904, perhaps even a ‘going away’ shot.”

Nordyke Flour Mill History:

AKA Wilson Flour Mill, Silver State Flour Mill and Silver State Alfalfa Mill

1891  Construction completed, awaiting only water delivery pipe

1892  Running at full capacity

1898  Stone warehouse constructed 30’ x 60’

1899  J. I. Wilson house remodeled

1900  Alvin Forbush and George Plummer working as millers

1904  Alvin Forbush “retired”

1905  Pelton water wheel added for efficiency

1906  First report of second stone warehouse

1913  Alvin Forbush rehired as head miller

1916  J. I. Wilson house destroyed by fire

1918  Wilson family moved to West Street in Yerington

1922  Leased to Alvin Forbush with six year option

1925  Leased to John Ford  for five years

1944  Sold to Alfried Bohm

1949  Converted to alfalfa meal production

1950  Sold to “Mr. and Mrs. Foster of Glendale,” operation ceased

1956  Operation resumed by Joe Tenderich

1957  Destroyed by fire

An article from earlier in 2025: https://pizenswitchtimes.com/2025/03/31/vintage-news-nordyke-flour-mill-and-the-wilson-brothers-houses/