The task of the Ölmühle was to process rapeseed into oil, which was used both as a food supplement and to provide light. The delivered rapeseed first went into the so-called 'Kollergang', a round wooden basin in which two vertical millstones ran and crushed the rapeseed into pulp. This pulp was heated in a pan placed on a cannon stove, filled into linen bags and placed in the oil press, i.e. between two boards inside a hollowed-out tree trunk. Wedges were placed on the outside of each board, onto which two heavy wooden blocks - the so-called 'rammers' - alternately struck down. This created high pressure and squeezed out the oil. It ran out through a small hole in the floor and was collected in a container. Both the pan grinder and the tamper were driven by an upper water wheel.
Built in 1845, the Ölmühle was only in operation for a total of 78 years. Around the turn of the century, the newly established oil factories became serious competition, which meant that farmers increasingly bought their oil directly from merchants and the mill eventually had to be shut down. However, it was put back into operation during the First World War: In the years from 1916 onwards, farmers had once again increased the cultivation of rapeseed, as war and poor harvests had led to famine. After the abolition of food rationing and the currency reform of 1923, the Ölmühle was finally shut down and began to decay.
Wilhelm Claas from Hagen, who worked as a lecturer at the state building school in Essen, was the first to draw attention to this condition and had the mill examined and measured. His report was the reason for the first restoration work, which was carried out on a private initiative in the 1950s. The measures were supported by the Hohenlimburg industry and the Altena district, which acquired ownership of the Ölmühle in 1958. The mill has been a listed building since 1982 and was completely renovated in the 1980s with the help of the municipality of Nachrodt-Wiblingwerde and the Märkischer Kreis.
For some years now, volunteer bakers have been breathing life into the old bakery in the neighboring Kornmühle. They organize baking days every 1st Saturday of the month from 6 a.m. from May to October. If you want to get your hands on one of the popular breads, you should get up early; advance orders are not possible. Baking demonstrations and tours of the Kornmühle, tel.: (02352) 29 04
There are five scenic themed walking trails around the mills - suitable for teaching: * Trout trail (20 min.) * Owl trail (60 min.) * Wild boar trail (90 min.) * Fox trail (120 min.) * Gourmet trail (day tours with recommended stops)
Outside tours at any time!
The Ölmühle is owned by the Märkischer Kreis.