Centerville Flour Mill
Lancaster Co. | Pennsylvania | USA
Watersource: Chickies Creek.
Centerville Flour Mill
From Farmdale east of Marietta on Pa 23, turn north on Prospect Road, go about 1.2 miles, bear left on Garfield Road, cross the creek and bear right. The mill is on the right before the next crossing of the Chickies Cr.
The original mill was 3.5 stories of stone 80'X 100' or 110' built by Martin Greider. Another account has the mill being built by Christian Hertzler. Some of the information seems to be mixed up with the mill just downstream, the Keystone Roller Mill. Christian Hertzler built that mill. The mill offered for sale in 1817 was 73'X 60' brick, which fits the dimensions and construction material of the Keystone Roller Mill (70'X 60' brick). The 1871 sale offering was 45'X 55' stone, more plausable as the 80'X 100' stone mill could have been diminished for some reason.
At any rate, The later owner was John H. Moore in 1864 through 1899. The mill closed in 1905 after a fire destroyed the mill then being run by Martin Moore. The mill had a 500' headrace, from the dam upstream and a 150' tailrace. Using one overshot Wheel and one turbine, the flour & grist mill produced 25 barrels/day of flour.
A much smaller mill was built in 1905, using some of the same walls of the old mill as the first story with a second story of frame. This second mill measured about 20'X 36' in footprint and was used to generate electricity for Salunga, Landisville and a stone quarry. The power production died a quick death when Edison Power became an entity.
The mill sold to a Amos Newcomer. A second Mr. Newcomer owned the mill and along with his son, Ken Hill, the millrace was cleaned out. It was completed in 1988, 2 years after Mr. Newcomer's death. The new arrangement of power production enabled Hill to sell power to Penna Power & Light in 1988.
The miller's house was a bed & breakfast in 1992. I think it has since discontinued from that trade. The old rebuilt mill was still present in 2006.
Some renovations are being done on the Centerville Mill, the part remaining being the old wheel house of the demised original 80'X 80' stone mill.
Renovation work from a slightly different angle.