Graue Mill
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Why it's listed
Graue Mill is a brick gristmill beside Salt Creek at the edge of the Fullersburg Forest Preserve in Oak Brook, Illinois. Frederick Graue, a Hanover-born immigrant, built it himself between 1847 and 1852 on the site of a burned sawmill. The three-story building rests on a limestone foundation from Lemont and a hand-hewn white oak frame. Wooden gears and driveshafts in the basement connect to an 18-foot undershot waterwheel. The mill served local farmers until 1929 and was the largest in its area. Local histories also say it sheltered freedom seekers as an underground railroad station, though the nomination notes no primary documentation exists. After standing vacant, it was restored in 1951 by the Du Page Graue Mill Association and opened as a museum. The upper floors display nineteenth-century home and work life, and the main floor still grinds corn meal. It is described as the only operating gristmill in Illinois.
Significance in brief: It was the largest mill in its area and the only mill in the immediate vicinity, serving local farmers until 1929. Local tradition holds that it served as an underground railroad station before the Civil War, though the form notes there is no primary documentation. It is described as the only operating gristmill in Illinois.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 75002077, listed May 12, 1975. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | NW of jct. of Spring and York Rds., Oak Brook |
|---|---|
| County | DuPage County |
| Listed | May 12, 1975 |
| Reference number | 75002077 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 19th Century (opened 1852) |
| Architect / builder | Frederick Graue (builder) |
| Architectural style | Federal |
| Areas of significance | Commerce, Industry |
| Level of significance | State, Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Operating as a museum; the mill machinery still grinds corn meal for visitors. The form reports it was vacant from closure until reopening as a museum in 1951-52. Condition is listed as excellent and unaltered. |
| Acreage | 3.1 |
| Coordinates | 41.82088, -87.92912 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For an income-producing building, listing (individually or as a contributing building in a district) is the gateway to the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit on qualified rehabilitation costs, often stackable with state credits. Work claiming the credit must follow the Secretary of the Interior's Standards and be approved in advance.
Listing does not restrict a private owner acting without federal money or permits; where federal funding or licensing is involved, Section 106 review applies.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 75002077.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5597744
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.