The Opperman family was deeply involved with the purchase and operations of the Manning Mill - formerly the Doud Milling Company - Mamie (Doud) Eisenhower's grandparents
owned/operated this mill in Manning.
Below you'll see some pictures of the before, during, and after the Manning Mill operation.
From the 1981 Manning Centennial book
THE MANNING MILL
The Manning Mill, an Iowa corporation, began operating June 1, 1954
with the purchase of the mill at 619 Julia Street. Stockholders and officers
were: George W. Opperman,
president and manager; Robert R. Dappen, vice president; William R. Opperman,
secretary-treasurer; Emil
J. Opperman, Leo Bruck, and Ivan J. Opperman, directors.
Immediate remodeling began, including a 24-ft. truck scale, 2-ton feed mixer,
bagging scale, pellet machine plus augers, elevator legs, and bins for grinding
and mixing livestock feeds. Also a Quonset type 120'
by 40' steel building was constructed just east of the mill for storage of
Commodity Credit Corporation owned corn.
A year later a similar steel building was erected north of the mill where the
old sale barn stood. In 1956 another steel building 60' by 100' with straight
sides was built on property on the north side of highway 141 west of Manning.
That same year a 60' by 200' grain storage building together with a 24' truck
scale and office building was built at Grand Junction.
In 1958 a grain elevator and property in Audubon was purchased from Continental
Grain Company. A new feed mill with essentially the same equipment as Manning was constructed on this site.
Doud Milling Company
Doud Milling Company - the Northwestern serviced the mill.
As you can see in the back left - the Milwaukee RR (trestle bridge) was not yet moved to the present day location.
Doud Milling Company float during Manning's 50th Anniversary in 1931
"We sell - Mother's Best Flour - bakes better bread"
Manning Mill history
I've often wondered what happened to this stuffed hog.
Fidelity Pancake Flour Company
Scotty Mayberry (passenger) created this company and put on Pancake meals.
Sister of Scotty was Lucy Mayberr who married Frank Barsby.
Left to Right: George Opperman, Leroy "Tater" Dammann,
Gale Moore, Wilbur "Casey" Karsten, Keith Hass, Kenneth "Red" Dammann, Otto Kruse
February 3, 1949 Monitor ad
January 16, 1947 Monitor ad
December 11, 1943 Monitor ad
Manning Agricultural Center - Orland & Ona Fara
Letter by George Opperman to Orland Fara
Announcement in Manning Monitor
July 7, 2000
