West Lampeter Township near Willow Street in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)
Millstones
Photographed By Nate Davidson, July 26, 2013
1. Millstones Marker
Inscription.
Millstones. . These millstones stand in silent testimony to the importance of milling in Lancaster County. The first mill was built only a few years after the Mennonites arrived in 1710. Vital to agriculture, the mills increased in number to over 200 by 1839. Most were gristmills, where grain was processed; yet there were also mills where hemp was crushed for rope or tannic acid was obtained from bark. Stones were used to grind cocoa for chocolate, pigments for paint, and apples for cider., During the 18th and 19th centuries, mills were central to the life of Lancaster County; towns grew frequently from these gathering places. Today few of these mills are still in operation, and even fewer continue to use millstones., Early milling techniques, using millstones like these, can be seen at Millbridge Village, located on the Pequea Creek, the mill at the Village was begun in 1738 by John Herr, a grandson of Hans Herr., [Begin: picture captions, left to right, across marker top], Worn-out millstones were often put to other uses., Imported French buhrstones, cemented and bound by an iron hoop., Nether (or lower) stone cut from a single rock in the American style., Stone used to remove the hulls from oats., Runner (or upper) stone with iron ring used to lift it when sharpening furrows., Conical stone rotated on its side to crush hemp for cloth or rope., The runner rotated above the stationary netherstone during use., [End: picture captions, left to right, across marker top]
These millstones stand in silent testimony to the importance of milling in Lancaster County. The first mill was built only a few years after the Mennonites arrived in 1710. Vital to agriculture, the mills increased in number to over 200 by 1839. Most were gristmills, where grain was processed; yet there were also mills where hemp was crushed for rope or tannic acid was obtained from bark. Stones were used to grind cocoa for chocolate, pigments for paint, and apples for cider.
During the 18th and 19th centuries, mills were central to the life of Lancaster County; towns grew frequently from these gathering places. Today few of these mills are still in operation, and even fewer continue to use millstones.
Early milling techniques, using millstones like these, can be seen at Millbridge Village, located on the Pequea Creek, the mill at the Village was begun in 1738 by John Herr, a grandson of Hans Herr.
[Begin: picture captions, left to right, across marker top]
Worn-out millstones were often put to other uses.
Imported French buhrstones, cemented and bound by an iron hoop.
Nether (or lower) stone cut from a single rock in the American style.
Stone used to remove the hulls from oats.
Runner (or upper) stone with iron ring used to lift it when sharpening
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furrows.
Conical stone rotated on its side to crush hemp for cloth or rope.
The runner rotated above the stationary netherstone during use.
[End: picture captions, left to right, across marker top]
Location. 39° 58.8′ N, 76° 15.667′ W. Marker is near Willow Street, Pennsylvania, in Lancaster County. It is in West Lampeter Township. Marker can be reached from Hans Herr Drive. Located in the Hans Herr historic site. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 1849 Hans Herr Dr, Willow Street PA 17584, United States of America. Touch for directions.
. (Submitted on August 2, 2013, by Bill Pfingsten of Bel Air, Maryland.)
Photographed By Nate Davidson, July 26, 2013
3. Millstones & Gravestones
Photographed By Carl Gordon Moore Jr., November 19, 2020
4. Millstones (replacement) Marker
Photographed By Carl Gordon Moore Jr., November 19, 2020
5. Millstones Marker
This is on the barn behind the marker:
On this site, a Swiss-style barn was erected - 1892 by David & Maria Huber. Destroyed by lightning 1929, this storage barn was built on the original stone walls.
Photographed By Carl Gordon Moore Jr., November 19, 2020
6. Millstones (replacement) Marker
This is to lower right of the sign (right edge visible at left) in last previous photo. Text:
Faith & Furrow Exhibit
Domestic, agricultural, and religious artifacts from Lancaster County; 1750 to 1950
Credits. This page was last revised on February 7, 2023. It was originally submitted on July 30, 2013, by Nathan Davidson of Salisbury, Maryland. This page has been viewed 598 times since then and 37 times this year. Last updated on November 20, 2020. Photos:1, 2, 3. submitted on July 30, 2013, by Nathan Davidson of Salisbury, Maryland. 4, 5, 6. submitted on November 20, 2020, by Carl Gordon Moore Jr. of North East, Maryland. • Bill Pfingsten was the editor who published this page.