Gilbert Mill / Miller Grist Mill
Berks Co. | Pennsylvania | USA
Watersource: Ironstone Creek.
Gilbert Mill / Miller Grist Mill
From Pa 73, go west on Pa 562 for 2 miles, turn left on Greshville Rd. Go about 0.8 mile to Ironstone Cr., then take Winding Rd. along the creek for 0.4 mile to junction with Sunset Rd. The mill is on the right. A right turn takes one to Ironstone Cr. with the mill still on the right.
Old grist mill with doors on the lateral side. The size of the mill suggests a possible combination mill / miller's house. It was enlarged in 1880 and converted into a residence sometime after ceasing operations.
The 35'x75', 2 story stone and 1.5 stories frame mill is on Ironstone Creek at junction of Winding and Sunset Rds. Mills were notorious for fires and flour dust explosions, which may have happened here. The mill may have been completely stone and then changed to partly frame at the time of enlargement or remodel after a fire: pure speculation.
The stucco had been taken off the northwest side, or perhaps it never had stucco applied. The Gilbert mill was operated by Henry and George Gilbert. They were followed in ownership by Adam Miller. Fred Neiman was the next proprietor, and as a consequence, he remodeled the mill in 1880, supplying new machinery to the structure. Given the time frame, it could very well have been roller mills that were added. The had a very good powersource; and since 1884, H.Y. Livengood had become the owner. The rest of its history is vague.
All the stucco has been removed by 2006, the frame potion repainted, and some changes in the windows and doors occurred.
The rear side of the mill reinforces the idea that the mill was a mill / mill house combination, the door in the rear leading into the house section of the complex.