Burget Mill has grown a lot over the decades, just as Altoona has. However, they’ve always stayed true to their local roots.
In fact, they’ve been operating out of the same building since 1930! The property has seen additions, expansions, and renovations over the years, but it’s still kept its original shape all this time.
Where can you find this historic location? At 200 First Avenue South, in beautiful Olde Towne Altoona. Let’s learn more about the history behind it!
Much of the information for this article was taken from the book “Rising to New Heights, 150 Years of Altoona History”, written by Alex Payne. Check it out to learn more about Burget Mill, its legacy, and the history of our great city.
Company Founding and the First Burget Mill Location
So, what do the folks at Burget Mill do? The answer (at its core) is the same now as it was over 125 years ago—they mill corn and make feed for poultry, cattle, horses, and other animals.
It all began back in 1896 when a man named George Burget founded a new company, “Burget Mill”.
George started milling on his own in the early days, using a mule-powered grist stone as the backbone of his newborn business.
Over the years, his company (and its capabilities) grew tremendously, creating the need for a larger operation. So, in 1923, the company’s first mill was constructed at George’s home.
But new developments would come very soon!
New Building, New Location, and New Additions
A new Burget Mill building was constructed at the same location (George’s home) in 1930.
The company would operate out of this new building until 1938 when it was transported to Olde Town Altoona on First Avenue.
That building and location would set the foundation for the company’s future.
Plenty of changes came in the following years, with an addition in 1946 and a new warehouse erected in 1972. Burget Mill then bought their neighbor to the south (the Denniston and Partridge building) in 1983, which became the company’s main office and showroom.
In 2014, all the Burget Mill facilities were totally renovated, then remodeled again in 2021! They’ve got that new, polished look, but still honor their rich history.
125+ Years of Family Ownership
Burget Mill has been owned and operated by the Burget family since George originally founded it back in 1896. As mentioned earlier, this makes Burget Mill the oldest family-owned company in our city!
The team has been led by a number of different family members over the years. After George Burget passed away in 1935, his son Ray Burget took over.
Ray’s son Robert Burget began working in the mill in 1946 and eventually took over by 1972.
The company is now led by Tim Burget, Robert’s son, who began working there in 1966. His son-in-law, Brant Anderson, started back in 2004 and is next in line to take the reins.
As Alex Payne put it in his book “Rising to New Heights, 150 Years of Altoona History”, Brant is “…the fifth generation to work at Burget Mill, and he is the mill’s future.”
Learn More About Burget Mill
Thank you for reading this “Treasures of Altoona” post!
If you’d like to discover more about the Burget Mill, be sure to check out their Facebook page. They post a lot of info about their products, their history, upcoming events/open houses, and much more.
