Bachman / Herr Mill east of the village of Fontana, Pa.,on the grounds of Millstream Farm Inn, a Bed & Breakfast.GPS: 40D 16.92'N, 76D 29.39'W ele 479'/146 meters Lebanon Quadrangle

Another view of the back of the mill looking up from the direction of the Bachman's Run. The miller's house, the Millstream Farm Inn, a stone/stuccoed structure, is situated directly across the lane from the mill.

Millstream Farms Inn, the miller's house, was built in 1813 by John Bachman and designed by Thomas Jefferson. The 1803 grain mill preceded the house as was common in most early industrial enterprises and even early farms. The grounds today are best described by checking the website for the bed & Breackfast above the first picture. Most it certainly has been used for weddings, etc.

*Update: My cousin's daughter just purchased the land on which the Bachman Mill is located. I have taken interest in the mill and I was impressed with your photographs of it at your website linked above. I have located the breached milldam about one tenth mile upstream on Bachman Run and possibly the foundation for the start of the millrace, which I suspect was a sluice. I would like to send you this information and discuss it with you. I am looking at various historical records and they show that Jost (or Yost) Gingrich paid taxes on a grist mill at that site in 1750. Jost Gingrich's son, Christian Gingrich, sold the mill and land to Christian Bachman in 1797. The present mill building is said to have been built in 1803 but I am still looking for proof of this. It is probably an upgrade of the Gingrich Mill. Christian Bachman's son, John, ran the mill, as did his son, also named John Bachman. The second John Bachman's sons, William A. Bachman and John H. Bachman, continued the milling operation with their widowed mother Elizabeth Bachman until at least 1910 and probably until her death in 1912. I am still searching for what happened after this. You call the mill the Bachman/Herr Mill. Christian Bachman's wife's maiden name was Herr but that is the only Herr connection I have seen so far. Possibly the Herr Family who owned other mills in the Lebanon Valley bought it when Elizabeth died. I have yet to find this. Steve Williams 09/11/2013*

The secluded limsestone grist and flour mill was constructed to measure 40'X 60'. The main inlet arch near the rear corner of the mill has been partially filled in with rock and frame material.

The two outer arches that are rock in were the original exits for the water discharged after powering the internal mill wheel or turbines that powered the entire train of equipment to grind the grain into flour and grist into livestock feed.

Another outlet arch can be seen if one looks carefully about halfway down the length of the mill. It has also been rock and mortered in. It was here where water that was not needed, or excess water was expelled back to the creek.