According to E.V. Kuykendall's "The History of Garfield County", J.N. Bowman, an experienced millwright  and his partner George Snider, built the flour mill in Pataha that was later acquired by John Houser, also a miller.

     The mill, which has been known most of its existence as the Houser Mill, produced flour that was in demand locally and in distant markets such as San Francisco, where it was used in the manufacture of macaroni, "the large percentage of gluten in the wheat of this region fitting it especially for that purpose," according to Kuykendall.

      After the death of John Houser, the mill was operated by his sons, M. H. Houser, a respected grain dealer in Portland, and his younger brother William Houser.  Farmers from Idaho and as far away as Milton-Freewater, Or., brought their wheat to be made into flour at the mill from 1930 to 1940, when the availability of such a service was rare.

     According to  the Kuykendall book, the Houser Mill was closed in 1941 because of difficulty in meeting increasing government regulation of the business.

     The milling area takes up the front third of the building on the north side, going up three stories from the basement.  The machinery and equipment that was operating when the mill closed was left intact.

     From the basement, the main water turbine, powered by Bihlmeier Springs further up the gulch, turned the bull wheel, a flywheel that turned a main drive shaft.  This shaft powered the leather belts that ran the milling machinery on the three floors above.  A coal boiler produced heat for drying wheat as well as for heating the office area.

     The first floor is the location of the main roller machines, five grinders, a chemistry lab and the miller, or millwright's work area.  Five types of wheat were blended for the different types of flour.  Also on the main floor were three sacking machines and a scale to weigh incoming wheat.  There is also a "batching" device to weigh wheat going into the milling machines and speed control devices.  The office safe for the mill had been removed so Jon VanVogt, the mill's new owner obtained the old Garfield County Courthouse safe, on loan from the county museum, to take its place.

     The second floor contains bleaching equipment, equipment that removed the bran from the grain, seasoning bins, and bran bagging machines.  "Legs" ran up from the basement, carrying wheat to all three floors.

     Sifting machines, a fan separator, the tops of the bran and seasoning bins and paddle augurs occupy the third floor.

     Jon VanVogt, a native of Pomeroy and a true Renaissance man, began thinking about the Pataha Flour Mill in the mid-1990's.  An ordained minister who is also a recognized composer and a polished musician, Jon has since then turned a heartfelt desire to show the mill to the world into a reality.

     The VanVogt family has land just across Pataha Creek north of the mill and Jon lived within sight of the building for several years.  In the mid '90s, Jon began talking to the mill's owner Mike Marbach, with whom he had gone to school.  Mike had purchased the mill from the Houser family and owned land around it.  In May 1998, circumstances came together and Mike and the rest of the Donley Hereford Ranch family agreed to sell the mill to Jon.

     Working on bringing the mill back to a condition where it could once again be open to the public began in summer 1998.  With help, Jon and his family began cleaning the huge building.  Their first major project was to paint the mill's exterior.  "We wanted to show that we were serious about what we were doing, for the community to see and be encouraged about our efforts," said Jon.  Residents had the opportunity to lend a hand on clean-up days Jon held at the mill.

  
     In August 1998, he opened the building for the first time to the public, hosting a "Hometown Revival" that brought community members together for an afternoon of singing "old Gospel music."  The event was recorded for audio and on video tape.  Proceeds from the resulting compact disc and video would go toward the continuing restoration of the mill.

    In addition to tours the mill has extra features including:  The Sonflour Gift Shop, featuring T-shirts that are replicas of the famous XXX flour sacks and displays from local retailers and craftspeople; and Neil Keatts' Camera collection, showcasing 400 cameras from as early as the turn-of-the-century.

     For more information on the Pataha Flour Mill e-mail Jon VanVogt at  patahaflourmills@gmail.com or call (509)843-3799.