Site: Keystone Roller Mill / Siegrist Mill
Lancaster Co. | Pennsylvania | USA
Watersource: Chickies Creek.
Site: Keystone Roller Mill / Siegrist Mill
From Pa 441 at Marietta, follow Pa 29 east for six miles, turn left/north on Farmdale Road, go through Farmdale and turn left on Siegrist Road and go about 0.5 miles to the Moore's Mill/Siegrist Mill Covered Bridge. The mill, if any ruins are left, was on the right just before the bridge.
The former 60'X 70' brick mill of 3.5 stories was built on a stone foundation by Christian & Barbara Hertzler in 1811. A log grist mill stood several hundred yards upstream owned by David Hay around 1730. John Haymaker is listed on the tax assessment as the owner of the log mill in 1772, 1792, and 1804.
In 1804 & 1805, Abraham & Joseph Hamaker are the owners, and continue to be so through 1810. In 1811, the new mill was built by Christian & Barbara Hertzler and they operated the mill until 1816. From 1820 to 1856, John Shenk had the mill in ownership and operation.
Photo taken about late 1940's-1950's Shenk's son-in-law, Michael Moore remodeled the mill after buying it in 1857. Michael H. Moore operated the mill as the Keystone Roller Mill through 1899, then it was acquired by I. S. & Martha M. Siegrist. It was passed on to Miss Helen B. Siegrist in 1930, then to Harry Hoffmaster, who closed the mill in the 1940's. Somr time before closing a 3 story 30'X probably 60'addition was built onto the SE part of the mill as seen on this picture.
A lithograph of the mill-late 1800's. The owner of the mill in 2007 reported that he bought the mill from Lloyd Mill in 1955 to use as a structure for raising chickens. It was a chicken house when he bought it and he continued to use it as such until the market fell out in 1962. The turbines were sold to the Nolt's/Smoketown Mill, still operating with waterpower near Bird-in Hand, Pa. on Pa 340 in East Lampeter Township, soon after the purchase.
The continuation of the lithograph showing the mill farm. The mill was not being used in 1969, in 1987 was only a shell with some 1st story walls remaining of just a small part of the mill. Some timbers inside looked charred as from a fire. The mill was damaged by high water perhaps suffering a fire after the water damage. The mill was reported gone in 1994.
After sustaining flood water damage, the mill started to buckle and the majority of the mill was taken down in 1985. The current owner built a new house using some of the foundation on the bottom portion of the house. Water still runs through the millrace thru the end where the mill used to be. The date stone for the mill was embedded in the limestone wall left of the house along the Siegrist Road. Thanks to Bob Kinsey for the info. since 1955.