New Life For Hayden Flour Mill

Part of the great view from the 11^th floor of Fidelity’s corporate office in Tempe is one of Tempe’s most iconic and important historical buildings, the Hayden Flour Mill.  It is among the primary reasons behind Tempe’s existence.

 The mill was one of Arizona’s oldest continuous working businesses, built in 1874 and operated until 1998, 124 years!  It functioned as a working mill, processing wheat, corn, and other grains, and producing about 100,000 lbs. of flour daily.

Since its operational demise in 1992, it’s been considered a blight on the city landscape by many.  But rightly so for such an important part of the city’s history, the mill has taken on a new life.  Today, the property fences are down, and recent improvements have turned it into a Tempe amenity.

The lower walls have been sandblasted, new lighting added, and interpretive signage of the building’s history adorns the building.  You can stroll and look through the ground floor windows and see some of the old flour grinding equipment.  The grounds are now open for picnics and casual entertainment, with a lush lawn, a concrete concert stage, and a grove of trees for shaded enjoyment.

Some construction will continue on the site until the grand opening on October 5^th.  Attend the grand opening for free, 5 – 10pm, with a dedication ceremony at 6pm.

To see a bit more history and tour of the old mill, by Bill Mitchell who worked at the mill from 1961 – 1982, watch this video:  http://youtu.be/TfLDcSfzaWU