York Town Square

Accomac Mill is one of scores of mills profiled in Lila Fourhman-Shaull’s new book, ‘Millers’ Tales: The Mills of York County.’ Not much is known about the mill, except that its feeder stream was a big one, the Susquehanna River. That meant the mill was susceptible to the whims of the river and its flooding. The mill is the only one linked to the river in ‘Millers’ Tales.’ Background posts: Glen Rock Mill Inn: ‘They are happy to see it open again’ and Part of York County’s past, Biesecker Mill, goes on the auction block and Pioneering sisters operated York County grist mill near Cross Roads and Felton landmark: ‘The mill at one time was gossip central’.
‘Miller’s Tales,’ the story of mills in York County, is now available to readers.
Here are 10 points about the county’s mills and millers, based on the book, information from its recent unveiling and Yorkblogger June Lloyd’s fine Universal York post on this key York County agri-business:

1. No. of mills in York County: 360 mills are shown on township maps in Pomeroy’s Atlas of York County published in 1876.
2. No. of mills afficionado Grant Voaden catalogued: 270.
3. No. of photos of mills in ‘Millers’ Tales’: 130.
4. First mill: Woolrich Weesler’s mill on 250 acres next to the Little Codorus Creek about a mile above Thomas Perrens, later identified as the Plank Road Mill on Mill Creek in Springettsbury Township.
5. Date of that mill: As early as 1735.
6. No. of mills still standing: Between 60 and 70.
7. No. of mills still commercially milling using water power: 0
8. Maker of many York County mill wheels: Fitz Water Wheel Company, Hanover.
9. No. of spellings of Bare’s, Bair, Bear and Baer mills on Kreutz Creek: At least 4. (Much research went into sorting through such variant spellings.)
10. No. of collections accessed in “Millers’ Tales”: Grant H. Voaden’s and G. Ross Bond.
Details about “Millers’ Tales” from yorkheritage.org:

Newly published volume by the Trust’s own Lila Fourhman-Shaull, Director of Library & Archives, provides a photographic tour of selected York County mills. Milling, an excellent example of a secondary industry, was one of the first industries found in York County, and for many years was its No. 1 enterprise. Combining facts with over 130 photographs from twoYCHT collections, Millers’ Tales will both engage and educate. Softcover. 159 pages with index. $ 29.95. To order: Millers’ Tales.

Also of interest:
Felton landmark: ‘The mill at one time was gossip central’
Also:
– All York Town Square posts from the start. (Key word search by using “find” on browser.)