Bowersock Mills & Power

During the past 130+ years, the mill has ground grain into flour, produced the first ready-make gingerbread cake mix, hosted a radio station, been a paper mill, made barbed wire, and produced power - both electrical and mechanical.
Before electrical power was widely available, leather belts were connected to the waterwheels at Bowersock, and ran through tunnels to their respective businesses. The famous Eldridge Hotel on 7th and Massachusetts is said to retain its generators in the basement, where the belts used to be attached.
The Springhill Suites, Abe & Jakes, and City Hall are all built in or on top of former Bowersock properties. As the focus of the mill's business changed, the extra space was leased or sold outright, and new businesses emerged.


			Bowersock Mills & Power


	In business since 1874, Bowersock currently provides the City of Lawrence with much needed river flow control for the public water intakes. Additionally, the water that passes through the plant produces up to 2.5 Megawatts of renewable non-polluting electrical power – enough to power nearly 1800 homes! Bowersock is proud to be certified as a Low Impact Hydropower Facility. Bowersock's Power is green! You can buy Bowersock’s green attributes by buying Zephyr Energy. The links above will give you an overview of our plant and tell you more about hydroelectric power. A part of the flood control system of the Bowersock Dam. The baffles can be raised or lowered to control the amount of water that flows over the dam and is diverted to the power plant. During the past 130+ years, the mill has ground grain into flour, produced the first ready-make gingerbread cake mix, hosted a radio station, been a paper mill, made barbed wire, and produced power - both electrical and mechanical. Before electrical power was widely available, leather belts were connected to the waterwheels at Bowersock, and ran through tunnels to their respective businesses. The famous Eldridge Hotel on 7th and Massachusetts is said to retain its generators in the basement, where the belts used to be attached. The Springhill Suites, Abe & Jakes, and City Hall are all built in or on top of former Bowersock properties. As the focus of the mill's business changed, the extra space was leased or sold outright, and new businesses emerged.