SOUTHERN YORK COUNTY, Pa. (WHTM) — A regional preservation society will be hosting open houses for several historic local mills next weekend.
The open house event, which is sponsored by the Mid-Atlantic Chapter of the Society for the Preservation of Old Mills (SPOOM), will feature four historic mills in Southern York County and Northern Harford County, Md.
According to SPOOM, each of the four mills has something unique and different to offer in terms of the contributions that were made to their perspective county and region.
The following mills will be showcased during the open house weekend:
Wallace-Cross Mill:
Wallace-Cross Mill is located at 15759 Cross Mill Road in York County. This mill is an example of a small water-powered grain mill, which was first constructed in 1826. This mill would continue to be used for grain grinding until its closure in 1979. This mill also included a three-floor museum with interpretive displays and historical artifacts.
The open house for Wallace-Cross Mill will be held at 1:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Saturday, June 10 and 1:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Sunday, June 11. Additional information can be found here.
Muddy Creek Forks Roller Mills:
Muddy Creek Forks Roller Mill is located in the village of Muddy Creek Forks, five miles south of Brogue on Muddy Creek Forks Road. This mill has been active since the 1750s and has been preserved as part of Ma & Pa Railroad Heritage Village. For a hundred years, this mill was a ‘merchant mill’ and ground flour for sale under its owned brand name, Harvest Queen.
The open house for Muddy Creek Forks Roller Mills is from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, June 10, and 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday, June 11.
New Park Wind Engine:
New Park Wind Engine is located at 290 Woolen Mill Road near New Park Pa. This location features two rare open-geared Aermotor power mills. The one mill is 12 feet in diameter and produces 2 horsepower – which is an example of a typical power mill used on a prosperous farm at the turn of the 20th century. The second, larger mill is 16 feet Aermotor which is enclosed in a three-story mill building, which was built in 1888.
The open house for New Park Wind Engine will be held from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Saturday, June 10, and from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday, June 11.
Eden Mill:
Eden Mill is located in the Eden Mill Nature Park at 1617 Eden Mill Road in Pylesville, MD, This mill is distinct for still having its intact dam, in addition to still having three generations of milling equipment in place. The original mill was built in the early 1800s and was used to harness the power provided by Deer Creek.
The open house for Eden Mill will be held at 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. on Saturday, June 10, and 12:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. on Sunday, June 11. Additional information can be found here.
According to the event coordinator Todd Eyster, the ample water sources in the region have been utilized since the formation of the country in order to provide the necessary power to drive machinery used to process grain into flour. In York County, there are over 270 documented mill sites.
