Hopkins Furnace Mill
Lancaster Co. | Pennsylvania | USA
Watersource: Conowingo Creek.
Hopkins Furnace Mill
From Sh 372 in Quarryville go south on US 222 about 1 mile, turn right onto Scotland Rd. and go 4 miles to Center Rd. Continue west/right on Scotland Rd. for 0.1 miles to the gray building on the right, almost on the road.
A prior grist and saw mill was at this location from 1768 or 1776, built by Jacob Bear. This mill was torn down in 1850, prior to which, it had been owned by Jonathan Good in 1800 and by Geo. & John Withers in 1815.
Michael Withers built the Conwingo Furnace across the Conowingo Creek from the early mill in 1809. The furnace was purchased by James Hopkins in 1828 and it ceased operating in 1866.
Hopkins decided to build hus new 4.5 story stone flouring mill, 40'X 60', in 1868 on the site of the 1768-1850 grist mill.
The mill was owned by the Jacob Tome establishment in 1899. The first story or two were still standing in 1969 when its use was as a saw mill.
Later on, it was used as a structure in which to raise mushrooms. Perhaps this is when the windows were rocked in so as to keep the interior dark. Today it is being used as a shop and maintanence building for the Tanglewood Golf Course, which expands to the east of the old mill remnants.