Listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1990.
“Beck's Mill is a historic gristmill in Washington County, Indiana, in the United States. It is seven miles (11 km) southwest of Salem.”
Wikipedia article Beck's Mill, CC BY-SA 4.0.
One of 10 National Register listings published here for Washington County · listed in 1990 · category: Building.
Sources: the Wikipedia article · the case file at the National Archives · the National Register database, National Park Service · the Wikipedia article
An account from the chapter on Howard township. The inset identifies its exact source book and publication year.
"John Beck commanded a company of rangers at the battle of Tippecanoe, in November, 1811. Upon the return of the men a volley was fired at Beck's Hill. This volley was heard a long distance and gave rise to the report that the settlers there had been attacked by the Indians. About that time a fire, which had been started in the woods, threw up large volumes of smoke, and the report also went out that the Indians were burning the cabins and murdering the settlers.
The chapter on Howard Township in Centennial History of Washington County, Indiana : Its People, Industies and Institutions : with Biographical Sketches of Representative Citizens and Genealogical Records of Many of the Old Families, published 1916; First Educational Report, Washington County, Indiana : Containing Photographic Illustrations, Superintendents', Principals', Teachers', and Citizens' Reports of the Educational Work in the County, published 1915 names Salem. This is what it says, exactly as the scans read.
In the summer of 1856 George Beck was in Salem talkmg over old times with Le\-i Wright, both being about sixty-five years old. Wright was boasting about still being nuich of a man, and finally challenged Beck to a foot race from the public square down to the railroad station. Beck agreed to run, and each was to go "barefoot." The bet was a dollar, and the parties were to take any part of the street or sidewalk they liked. Judges were selected ;md stationed at lioth starting and ending points of race. Boh AIcKinney was to ;i.ct as starter and stakeholder. All being in readiness the hat was dropped and away they went. Wright was quickest and took tlie lead and started down the east side of the street, while Beck took the center of the street. As Wright got opposite a blacksmith shop that stood about half way down the street he struck some sharp cinders that caused him to slacken his gait, and while he was trying to avoid the cinders he vtunihled and fell. Before he could straighten himself out again Beck lia<l t;iken the lead with his loping gait, which he kept up steadily and won out h\- ten feet, and got the stake, which was' soon spent and the old fellows ni.-ule merry and put in the rest of the day talking over old times anew.
Passage source: Centennial History of Washington County, Indiana : Its People, Industies and Institutions : with Biographical Sketches of Representative Citizens and Genealogical Records of Many of the Old Families, published 1916.
"The attendance was good and the interest manifested by the pupils and teachers prove that Spelling is receiving due attention from the teachers of our county. The children made a splendid showing in this subject and it encourages us to believe that old time spelling may again become paramount in the branches taught in our common school course." - Salem Democrat.
Passage source: First Educational Report, Washington County, Indiana : Containing Photographic Illustrations, Superintendents', Principals', Teachers', and Citizens' Reports of the Educational Work in the County, published 1915.
Machine-read from a century-old scan, so expect the errors a machine makes: misspelled names, dropped words, stray characters.
Read the whole chapter on Howard Township - 9,695 words on its settlement, mills, schools and churches.
Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The federal mineral resources record lists 2 workings within 5 miles of Beck's Mill: 2 producers. All of them still produce. What was taken out: Stone, Crushed/Broken. Distance is straight-line from the map coordinates, so a quarry counted here may appear on a neighbouring settlement's page as well.
| Where | Site | Commodity | Status | Recorded |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hoosier Stone Company Salem | Stone, Crushed/Broken | Producer | ||
| Owsley Quarry | Stone, Crushed/Broken | Producer |
Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The National Weather Service names Salem, the town this property stands in, in 62 storm reports between 1993 and 2026: 40 thunderstorm wind, 9 hail, 8 flash flood, 5 tornado. No death or injury is recorded in these reports. Each account below is quoted exactly as the forecast office filed it, from the NOAA Storm Events Database, and each date opens the federal record of that event.
| When | Event | Place named | Harm | What the report says |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 2004 | Tornado (F1) | Salem | $1,500,000 | The tornado touched down initially in western Washington County, where it destroyed a home and a garage. It skipped across Washington County, with the next reported damage in the vicinity of Pekin. Several homes and farm buildings were damaged or destroyed there. A total of nine homes were destroyed in Washington County, and 31 homes were damaged to some degree. The tornado then continued southeast and crossed into Clark County, Indiana. |
| April 1993 | Thunderstorm Wind | Salem | $500,000 | Strong thunderstorm winds damaged the National Guard Armory. The wind damaged the roof and several large doors. Some military vehicles were also damaged. |
| November 2017 | Tornado (EF1) | Salem | $250,000 | The National Weather Service in conjunction with Washington County|Emergency Management Agency conducted a storm survey in central|Washington County and determined there were three distinct|touchdowns near and around the Salem, Indiana area Sunday evening|November 5. The second tornado touched down in downtown Salem at the Salem Feed|Mill on South Water Street. There was significant damage on the|upper portion of the feed mill approximately 70 feet off the ground|along with some power poles being severely bent. A multi-business|building was hit by the tornado with a large portion of its roof|lifted and dropped on the Dinner Bell restaurant. There was|extensive damage from falling brick. The tornado then hit a house|on the corner of Cherry and South High Street resulting in roof and|siding damage along with several sections of Cleveland Pear trees|snapped. The tornado lifted quickly at the intersection. The|tornado had estimated peak winds of approximately 90 to 95 mph with a width of|approximately 30 to 40 yards. |
| May 2004 | Flash Flood | Salem | $250,000 | Numerous roads in the city were flooded. Streets were closed, and several barricades were washed away by rapidly rising water. People had to be rescued from flooded vehicles on Water and Market Streets. Several people were evacuated from their homes due to high water. Several semi-trailers were swept out of a parking lot by flood waters and became wedged against the South Main Street Bridge. The bridge was closed for two hours as a precaution, so that it could be checked for damage from the impact. |
| May 1996 | Thunderstorm Wind | Salem | $150,000 | no account filed |
| May 2004 | Tornado (F1) | Salem | $120,000 | The tornado was first spotted southwest of Salem in the Mill Creek Flats area off State Road 56. It destroyed a barn and some other outbuildings on Beck's Mill Road west of Salem. It lifted as it passed the city of Salem, then touched down again intermittently east of Salem. The tornado destroyed another barn on Walker Road east of Salem. The eastern extent of the tornado path and the ending time of the event are estimated. |
| May 2002 | Hail | Salem | $75,000 | no account filed |
| May 2018 | Thunderstorm Wind | Salem | $60,000 | There were multiple reports of trees down and power outages through out Salem, Indiana. |
| July 2018 | Tornado (EF0) | Salem | $50,000 | This very small, skipping tornado did its damage primarily on hilltops between Sparks Ferry Road and the intersection of State Road 135 and Lewellen Road. A few tree limbs and a small fence were downed near Sparks Ferry Road before it moved northeast over a large wooded area and open farmland. The next damage was concentrated about a quarter mile south of Water Tower Road, just west of Highway 135. Here the tornado tore multiple metal roof panels off a barn, blew the southward-facing overhead doors of a garage in, and tore the entrance door off the garage on the west side. The attached home sustained considerable siding and roof damage. A small play structure on the west side of the home was destroyed, with the debris blown to the west-northwest. Debris from the barn and home were scattered in a narrow path through row crops up to a third of a mile to the northeast, where a resident witnessed large sheets of roofing and siding fall into a hay field on the north side of Lewellen Road. A corn field on the south side of Lewellen Road showed cyclonic rotation in a narrow path of flattened corn. The maximum wind speeds with this tornado were estimated at 80 mph. |
| May 2002 | Thunderstorm Wind | Salem | $50,000 | no account filed |
| May 2018 | Thunderstorm Wind | Salem | $45,000 | Multiple trees and power outages were reported through out Salem, Indiana. |
| May 2017 | Flash Flood | Salem | $40,000 | Several inches of rain fell in a very short time period which resulted in significant flash flooding across many portions of Washington County. Multiple high water rescues were reported across the county due to flash flooding. |
| November 2005 | Thunderstorm Wind | Salem | $20,000 | The back porch was blown off a house and deposited 400 yards away. |
| March 2008 | Flash Flood | Salem | $10,000 | Occupants of a vehicle stalled in high water on Cox's Ferry Road were rescued. U.S. Highway 150 was closed near Fredericksburg. Several other roads around the county were closed. |
| May 2002 | Thunderstorm Wind | Salem | $10,000 | no account filed |
| May 2014 | Thunderstorm Wind | Salem | $5,000 | Local law enforcement reported that a tree fell onto a home in Salem. |
| May 2006 | Thunderstorm Wind | Salem | $5,000 | A tree was blown on to a home. |
| November 2005 | Thunderstorm Wind | Salem | $2,000 | The back porch was blown off a house and deposited 400 yards away. |
| March 2026 | Thunderstorm Wind | Salem | - | Power lines were down on Water Street in Salem. |
| June 2025 | Flash Flood | Salem | - | Several feet of water were over the roadway along Small Street and Water Street in Salem. Multiple cars were submerged in the flood waters. |
| October 2020 | Thunderstorm Wind | Salem | - | One tree fell on Martinsburg Road. |
| May 2017 | Flash Flood | Salem | - | Local law enforcement reported that State Road 56 east of Salem was closed due to high water. |
| November 2017 | Thunderstorm Wind | Salem | - | A NWS Storm Survey found trees blown over Rubber Hill Rd. |
| July 2017 | Thunderstorm Wind | Salem | - | Washington County Emergency Manager reported downed trees blocking Fairview Road. |
| July 2016 | Thunderstorm Wind | Salem | - | Local law enforcement reported trees down in the area due to severe thunderstorm winds. |
| April 2013 | Hail | Salem | - | A spotter reported 1.75 inch hail in Salem. |
| July 2012 | Thunderstorm Wind | Salem | - | Local law enforcement reported trees and power lines down near Salem. |
| September 2012 | Thunderstorm Wind | Salem | - | The Washington County Emergency Manager reported trees down in several locations, including the town of Salem. |
| July 2012 | Thunderstorm Wind | Salem | - | Local law enforcement reported several trees and power lines down near Highland Road in Salem. |
| April 2011 | Tornado (EF0) | Salem | - | An NWS storm survey confirmed an EF-0 tornado with wind speeds up to 80 mph. This tornado touched down along Jim Day Road about a quarter mile south of Lewellen Road where a 30ft x 40ft outbuilding was destroyed and its roof thrown about 75 yards to the north and east. The tornado ended just northeast of Lewellen Road where a house suffered roof damage, a 30ft x 50ft shed was destroyed, and a small grain bin was twisted and thrown 100 feet. |
| May 2011 | Flash Flood | Salem | - | Rising water forced the closure of 3 roads in Salem. Water was also rising along State Hwy. 56 west of Livonia. |
| May 2011 | Flash Flood | Salem | - | Multiple roads were being closed in and around Salem due to quickly rising water. |
| October 2009 | Flash Flood | Salem | - | Numerous roads near the Blue River were closed due to high water. |
| August 2009 | Thunderstorm Wind | Salem | - | Numerous trees were downed across the county. |
| June 2009 | Thunderstorm Wind | Salem | - | Several power lines and trees were downed across the county. |
| April 2008 | Thunderstorm Wind | Salem | - | Thunderstorm winds blew a grill off a deck and downed some large tree branches. |
| May 2007 | Thunderstorm Wind | Salem | - | Numerous trees were downed near Rush Creek Road. |
| July 2007 | Thunderstorm Wind | Salem | - | Two trees were downed. |
| May 2004 | Thunderstorm Wind | Salem | - | Numerous trees were downed. |
| May 2004 | Thunderstorm Wind | Salem | - | Numerous trees were downed along a highway near Little York. |
| July 2004 | Thunderstorm Wind | Salem | - | Trees were downed. |
| May 2002 | Thunderstorm Wind | Salem | - | Two trees were downed along Highway 135. |
| January 2000 | Thunderstorm Wind | Salem | - | Trees down |
| February 1999 | Thunderstorm Wind | Salem | - | Trees down |
| August 1999 | Hail | Salem | - | Dime size hail fell just south of Salem |
| July 1997 | Thunderstorm Wind | Salem | - | County sheriff reported several trees down. |
| April 1993 | Hail | Salem | - | Strong thunderstorm winds damaged the National Guard Armory. The wind damaged the roof and several large doors. Some military vehicles were also damaged. |
| May 2007 | Thunderstorm Wind | Salem | - | no account filed |
| June 2007 | Hail | Salem | - | no account filed |
| January 2006 | Hail | Salem | - | no account filed |
| July 2005 | Thunderstorm Wind | Salem | - | no account filed |
| August 2005 | Thunderstorm Wind | Salem | - | no account filed |
| November 2005 | Thunderstorm Wind | Salem | - | no account filed |
| June 2004 | Thunderstorm Wind | Salem | - | no account filed |
| April 2003 | Hail | Salem | - | no account filed |
| February 2001 | Thunderstorm Wind | Salem | - | no account filed |
| September 2000 | Thunderstorm Wind | Salem | - | no account filed |
| June 1998 | Thunderstorm Wind | Salem | - | no account filed |
| May 1996 | Hail | Salem | - | no account filed |
| July 1996 | Thunderstorm Wind | Salem | - | no account filed |
No historic map-sheet match is published for this property yet. That does not mean no map exists. This record needs a coordinate-quality review before it can be joined to a sheet boundary. Browse the county's mapped places while that work is pending.
Other National Register properties close enough to walk or drive between, ordered by distance from this one. Both positions come from the same geocoding pass that matched these properties to their map sheets.
| Photograph | Property | Distance | Listed |
|---|---|---|---|
 | Beck's Mill Bridge | under 500 feet | 2007 |
 | Washington County Jail and Sheriff's Residence | 5.5 miles | 1984 |
 | Washington County Courthouse | 5.5 miles | 1980 |
 | Salem Downtown Historic District | 5.5 miles | 1997 |
 | Hay-Morrison House | 5.6 miles | 1971 |
 | First Baptist Church | 5.6 miles | 1985 |
| National Archives record | The nomination case file for reference 90001789 in Record Group 79. |
| Wikipedia article | Community-written account of this property, licensed CC BY-SA. |
| Washington County | All 10 listed properties in this county. |
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