Jonathon Miller Mill
Lebanon Co. | Pennsylvania | USA
Watersource: Old Union Canal / Tulpehocken Creek
Jonathon Miller Mill
From US 422 in Myerstown, Pa., turn south on Pa 501/N. College St., turn left on E. Main St./T 500, then right on S. Cherry St., then left on E. Mill Ave. The mill is either on E. Mill Ave. or left onto Quarry Drive.
The first mill on the site in c. 1742 was built by Nicholas Miller. Another survey say the mill was built by a Michael Miller.
Nicholas Miller, son Valentine, Valentine Jr., his son Jonathon, and Jonathon Jr., were five generations of Millers who were millers (pun) at the mill through 1895. Canal boats were able to unload the wheat and coal directly into the mill.
The early years saw the mill operating as a powder mill during the Revolutionary War. Supposedly, the mill exploded at one time, killing one of the workers. Jonathon converted the mill to a plaster/gypsum mill.
The mill was converted back to a grist mill in 1866 by Jonathon Miller Jr. The present mill was constructed to use four run of stones at a cost of $18,000 in 1872. In the 1900's, the mill was converted into an ice plant/frozen food locker. Allen Holtzman had his famous Ice Cream Store & Frozen Food Locker at the Old Mill.
Another name for the mill was the Genessee Mill. *Information and Pictures provided by Robert T. Kinsey 03/15/06*