History / About Us
H. Nagel and Son Company (Brighton Mills) was founded by nineteen year old Henry Nagel, an immigrant from Germany. Eventually settling in Cincinnati, Henry worked on Ohio and Mississippi River steamboats until 1853. With that experience, he established the first steam operated flour mill in Cincinnati. While Henry initially looked to farming, he decided to pursue milling in 1857 leading to the creation of Brighton Mills. The enterprise was prosperous from the beginning and eventually moved operations to Spring Grove Avenue in Cincinnati, Ohio.
Through the years, Brighton Mills has enjoyed continuous success and has remained a vital and lasting name in the business. William Nagel, a graduate of Massachusetts Institute of Technology, lead the business up to his retirement in 2012. The current president, his son, Edward “Ted” Nagel earned his degree in Milling Science and Management at Kansas State University. Ted oversees operations at the Spring Grove, Cincinnati facility and West Harrison, Indiana.