Kimberton Grist Mill/Chrisman Mill/PennypackerMill
Chester Co. | Pennsylvania | USA
Watersource: Trib.French Creek
Kimberton Grist Mill/Chrisman Mill/PennypackerMill
About 2 miles west of Phoenixville, Pa on Pa 113 at the village of Kimberton.
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As of October 1987 and also in 2007, the building was in excellent condition and, at least in part, was functioning as a Post Office. The tributary to French Creek fed from a dam just across the township line in West Vincent Twp.
The same view from 2007 after twenty years. George Chrisman built this mill in 1796. Chrisman also ran an Inn and hired a miller to run the mill. Chrisman died in 1812, leaving sons, John and Jacob as executors. They sold it to John Snyder, who kept the inn and sold the mill to Enoch Walker and Thomas George in 1815.
Below the mill/post office in Kimberton. Walker and George conveyed it to Emmor Kimber in 1817. Although Kimber was not a miller, he kept the mill running. By 1821, Kimber was having financial problems, and put the mill up for sale. In 1830, John Thomas bought the mill and 17 acres.
A house/residence or former store katty-cornered from the mill at the intersection of Kimberton & Hares Hill Roads.
The Kimberton Inn, also across Kimberton Road from the mill and across Hares Hill Road from the house in the previous photo.
Other owners and operators were Sam Bertolet (1858-1881), David Gable (1881-1905), and Sylvester H. Pennypacker (1905-1943). Grinding was stopped in 1938 and it was operated as a feed store in 1939 and 1940, and closed completely in 1943. The old mill probably houses a few apartments in conjunction with the Post Office.
GPS: 40' 7.78'N, 75' 34.54'W ele. 230'/70 meters Phoenixville Quadrangle