Conrad's Mill / Lower's Mill / Table Rock Rock Mill
Adams Co. | Pennsylvania | USA
Watersource: Conewago Creek.
Conrad's Mill / Lower's Mill / Table Rock Rock Mill
- From US 15 south of York Springs, take the exit for Pa 394. Go west on Pa 394 for 2.8 miles to the village of Table Rock. The mill will be on the left just before crossing the Conewago Creek opposite Brookside Lane.
The first mention of this mill was in 1793 when Peter Conrad paid taxes on the mill and a petition for a road past Conrad's mill was recorded that same year. Table Rock was the name given to a settlement below Benders Church, when a post office was established there some years ago. It is also known as the Lower Settlement, on account of the Lower grist and saw-mills, Lower store and Lower blacksmith shop.
In 1798, Mathias Smyser was taxed for the mill; and in 1800, George Smyser was taxed for it. Phillip Shriver was taxed for it from 1814-1817.
Robert Majors, Sr. owned the property from 1818 until his death in 1829. The Orphans' Court decreed the mill to Major's son, James. In 1838 James Bell became the owner and ran it until his death in 1848.
Bell's heirs sold the mill at public sale in 1849 to Henry Lower. In 1859, Lower replaced the mill with a larger one, of one story stone and 2 story frame. The new mill contained 3 sets of burrs for flour and one set of chopping stones. The phot shows the mill after the first mill had been replaced by the larger mill, probably in the 1880's
Upon Lowers death in 1868, his 3 sons took over the mill with Conrad running the mill. In 1882, Conrad's 2 brothers, Henry and John, turned the mill over to Conrad. Conrad Lower made further improvements in 1891 by adding a new roller system.
By this time, the mill is known as Table Rock Roller Mills. During Conrad's later years, he rented the mill to R. B. Myers. His special brands of flour were known as Our Daily Bread and XXXXX Choice Roller Flour. In 1908, Conrad sold the mill to Luther C. Plank, who had been leasing it since 1900.
Plank replaced the water power with a diesel engine and later with electricity. He also added new machinery in 1921. Plank ran the mill until his death in 1972, at the age of 99 years old. Shortly after his death the mill was closed. GPS: 77' 13.16W, 39' 54.52N