Mill Details

Nissley's Mill

Lancaster Co. | Pennsylvania | USA
Known Dates: Early mill 1740, this mill 1813
Township: West Donagal Twp.
Watersource: Conoy Creek.
Location / Directions

Nissley's Mill

Take Pa 441 WNW from Marietta to Bainbridge, turn right on Race St. which becomes Stone Mill Road. Follow about 4 miles to the mill on left after crossing Conoy Creek and before Miller Road junction on the left.

Verse for Thought
"I will sing of Your power; yes, I will sing aloud of Your mercy in the morning; for You have been my defense and refuge in the day of trouble."
({Psalm 59:16 NKJV})
Nissley's Mill
Jim Miller 10/24/1987

The 1813 3.5 story limestone/sandstone mill, 45'X 50' mill was built by Joseph and Mary Horst on the site of an earlier 1740 grist mill. This mill was built in either 1740 or 1749 by Philip Gloninger. Ten years later in 1759, John Nissley bought the mill and 200 some odd acres from Gloninger.

Nissley's Mill

The mill was a chicken house in 1969, being used as a dwelling in 1987, and converted to a single family dwelling in 1994. The mill was owned by Jon Kimmel in 2004 and was still in the process of being renovated.

Nissley's Mill

Abraham Nissley, a different A. Nissley since this is a century later, owned the mill from the early 1860's thru the late 1870's. Peter Gish was one of the last owners of the mill in the late 1890's. Phares C. Miller was the last operator/owner in the early 20th century. The flour & grist mill sometimes ground corn meal, on a second set of buhrstones also powered by the overshot wheel. Average flour production stood at 25 barrels/day.

Nissley's Mill
Robert T. Kinsey winter 2004-05

Nissley kept the first mill from 1759 through 1782, selling to Abraham Nissly, who then owned the mill from 1783 to 1800. Joseph & Mary Horst aquired the mill sometime between 1800 and 1813, when they built the new mill. They owned and operated the mill through at least 1824; water diverted from the impounded Conoy Creek dropped 5.5' as it traveled the 1300' to the mill, then escaped from the mill through double archway openings in the lower rear to go the 100' back to the creek.

Nissley's Mill

Two doors are located in the middle of the mill, at the rear, between the windows of the second and third floors, but the sack hoist present on that end in 1987 had disappeared by 2004.

 
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