Mansfield Roller Mill facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Mansfield Roller Mill
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 Location in Parke County, Indiana
Location in Indiana
Location in the United States
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| Location | Mansfield, Indiana |
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| Architect | Jacob Rohm |
| MPS | Grain Mills in Indiana MPS |
| NRHP reference No. | 90001788 |
| Added to NRHP | December 7, 1990 |
The Mansfield Roller Mill, also called the Mansfield Mill, is a historic gristmill found in Mansfield, Indiana, United States. A gristmill is a building where grain is ground into flour or meal. This mill was built in 1875 by Jacob Rohm. It replaced an even older mill that had been there since 1821.
Today, the mill is a state historic site. It is owned by the Indiana Department of Natural Resources. The mill is managed by the Raccoon Lake Interpretive Services. Many of the original water-powered machines still work!
Contents
History of the Mill
The First Mill (1821-1875)
In 1821, two men named James Kelsey and Francis Dickson decided to build a small mill. They chose a great spot next to the Big Raccoon Creek. This area had strong sandstone rock and a natural crossing point in the creek. There were also plenty of trees to use for building materials. Their first mill was a log building, about 30 by 20 feet.
Over the years, the mill changed hands many times. In 1828, Francis Dickson bought out James Kelsey. Later, Dickson sold parts of the mill to James and Joseph Strain. In 1831, the Strain brothers became the full owners. They likely added a "sash mill" in the 1830s, which was used for cutting wood.
In 1845, the Strain brothers sold the mill to George Kirkpatrick Steele. He was a local store owner and later a senator. During his time, the mill grew much larger, reaching about 50 by 60 feet.
After Steele, the mill was sold to George W. Crosby in 1846. When he passed away, a judge named Samuel B. Gookins bought the mill in 1847. Judge Gookins is known for planning out the town of Mansfield. The mill continued to be sold to different owners over the next few years. In 1866, James Murphy bought it. Finally, in 1875, Jacob and Mary Rohm purchased the mill. They would become some of its most important owners.
Jacob Rohm's Improvements (1875-1929)
Jacob Rohm was an experienced mill operator. When he bought the Mansfield Mill in 1875, he had big plans. In 1880, he completely tore down the old mill and rebuilt it from the ground up.
Rohm made many modern upgrades. He replaced the old water wheels with two powerful water-powered turbines. One was an 85-horsepower Rodney Hunt turbine installed in 1886. The other was a 65-horsepower Lefel turbine added in 1889.
He also updated the mill's design to the latest "Oliver Evans" style. This new design used bucket elevators and spouts to move grain around. This was much more efficient than carrying bags by hand! Rohm also added a corn mill and replaced the old grinding stones with new metal roll-stands in 1884. By 1891, the new mill was very valuable.
The Mill's Later Years (1929-Present)
In 1929, Jacob Rohm's sons sold the mill to Walter Ferguson. It changed hands a few more times over the years. In 1933, Clarence Reeves bought it. His son, R.L. Reeves, ran the mill until he passed away in 1967.
In 1969, Edward (Tex) Terry and his wife Isabell bought the mill for just $1. Tex Terry was an actor known for playing "bad guys" in movies. Between 1973 and 1978, he tried to turn Mansfield into a "Frontier City" theme park, but his plans didn't work out. In 1979, Tex and Isabell moved back to Tex's hometown.
The mill was sold again in 1978 to Robert Twell.
In 1995, the owners, Jack and Shirley Dalton, along with Frank and Sharon Hutcheson, generously donated the mill to the Indiana Department of Natural Resources. This made it a historic site. In 2002, the mill's ownership was moved to the Division of State Parks and Reservoirs. Now, the Raccoon State Recreation Area manages and operates it.
A big restoration project began in 1998. It took several years to finish, with work completed in 2005. Today, the mill still uses its original Rodney Hunt Turbine from 1886 for demonstrations during festivals and special events.
The Mansfield Roller Mill is located in Mansfield, Indiana, near Rockville, Indiana. It sits at the corner of Mansfield Road (which is also known as Country Road-37, Green Castle Road, or East 700 South) and Big Raccoon Creek.
See also
- List of Registered Historic Places in Indiana
- Mansfield Indiana
- Mansfield Covered Bridge
- Parke County Covered Bridges
- Pleasant Valley Cemetery
- Parke County Covered Bridge Festival
