Former mill and finishing building
The inconspicuous building on Mühlenstrasse is a good example for the repurposing of buildings in favour of the blossoming embroidery industry.
History:
Since the 14th Century, several mills made use of the drop of the Steinach in the wild gorge of the Mülenenschlucht. One of them was the property at Mühlenstrasse 30. In the 18th Century, it belonged to the “Stockamt” which provided for the needy using the the church offertory (Opferstock). In November 1800, the property was sold to the private miller Silverster Mittelholzer. After several more changes of ownership it came to be owned by the finisher Jacob Hungerbühler in 1857. In a finishing plant, the raw fibres are treated according to the wishes of the clients, e.g. smoothened and strengthened, which required a great deal of water. In 1873, the miller Franz Anton Köppel bought the buildings. In 1883, he switched to steam power and ran a dough factory. The building was taken over by several producers in a row, until the last owner went bankrupt and the Kantonalbank took hold of the property in 1937. The production conditions in the narrow gully of the Steinach could no longer keep with the times.
Architecture:
Simple construction with three full stories and a pulley roof. The round exit of the former turbine canal is visible in the basement.
Present-day use:
Today, it is a residential building with several occupants. The flats are rather simple. The house was renovated in 2014.
