Universal Mills moved to Fort Worth in 1922 and purchased the Smith Brothers Grain Co. site for $50,000 in 1925. Smith Brothers had operated here since 1918. Upon acquiring Smith Brothers, Universal began a series of major additions and alterations which completely changed the original facility. Universal immediately built a four-story addi¬tion, and also began acquiring adjacent parcels of land to accommodate expansion. In 1930, Universal completed a new flour mill unit; in 1933 they built a second unit which doubled their capacity to over 2,000 barrels daily. Universal Mills and Ralston Purina Mill, also located in Fort Worth, were the largest mills in Texas at this time. With increased processing capacity additional storage became necessary – a new elevator with 16 tanks for grain storage was built in 1937 increasing storage capacity to 750,000 bushels. Universal’s President, Gaylord J. Stone, developed many stock feeds along with other grain products which stimulated the company’s growth. The Universal grain mill and storage facility is still one of the largest in Fort Worth. In 1962, Universal sold their facility to Allied Mills, Inc. The grain silos and elevators may be eligible for the National Register along with the Universal Mills office building at 401 N. Beach Street.
