Bear's Mill
Encyclopedia
Bear's Mill is a historic gristmill
near the city of Greenville
in Darke County
, Ohio
, United States
. Built in 1849, this watermill
is the oldest existing industrial building in Darke County. Built by Manning Hart, a local contractor
, the mill lies along Greenville Creek in southwestern Adams Township
, midway between Greenville and the village of Gettysburg
. It was purchased before its completion by Pennsylvania
n Gabriel Bair, who completed and opened the mill in 1849. After his locally made millstone
s proved faulty, Bear travelled to France, where he acquired stones of a type regarded worldwide as of highest quality.
The mill is a wooden building with a stone foundation and a metal roof. It remained in continuous operation for well over a century, slowing from full capacity only in the late 1970s when the miller decided to go into partial retirement. Since then, the mill has continued in use: partially as a milling museum
, and partially as a gristmill. In 1975, it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places
, qualifying because of its architecture and because of its significance in Ohio's history
. Today, the mill is operated by the Friends of Bear's Mill, a non-profit organization
dedicated to maintaining and operating the mill as a historic landmark.
Gristmill
The terms gristmill or grist mill can refer either to a building in which grain is ground into flour, or to the grinding mechanism itself.- Early history :...
near the city of Greenville
Greenville, Ohio
Greenville is a city in Darke County, Ohio, United States. The population was 13,227 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Darke County.-History:Greenville is the historic location of Fort Greene Ville,Greenville is a city in Darke County, Ohio, United States. The population was 13,227 at...
in Darke County
Darke County, Ohio
As of the census of 2000, there were 53,309 people, 20,419 households, and 14,905 families residing in the county. The population density was 89 people per square mile . There were 21,583 housing units at an average density of 36 per square mile...
, Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Built in 1849, this watermill
Watermill
A watermill is a structure that uses a water wheel or turbine to drive a mechanical process such as flour, lumber or textile production, or metal shaping .- History :...
is the oldest existing industrial building in Darke County. Built by Manning Hart, a local contractor
General contractor
A general contractor is responsible for the day-to-day oversight of a construction site, management of vendors and trades, and communication of information to involved parties throughout the course of a building project.-Description:...
, the mill lies along Greenville Creek in southwestern Adams Township
Adams Township, Darke County, Ohio
Adams Township is one of the twenty townships of Darke County, Ohio, United States. The 2000 census found 3,508 people in the township, 2,125 of whom lived in the unincorporated portions of the township.-Geography:...
, midway between Greenville and the village of Gettysburg
Gettysburg, Ohio
Gettysburg is a village in Darke County, Ohio, United States. The population was 558 at the 2000 census.-History:Gettysburg was founded by natives of Adams County, Pennsylvania in the late 1820s. When the settlement was platted in 1842, the community was named for Gettysburg, the county seat of...
. It was purchased before its completion by Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
n Gabriel Bair, who completed and opened the mill in 1849. After his locally made millstone
Millstone
Millstones or mill stones are used in windmills and watermills, including tide mills, for grinding wheat or other grains.The type of stone most suitable for making millstones is a siliceous rock called burrstone , an open-textured, porous but tough, fine-grained sandstone, or a silicified,...
s proved faulty, Bear travelled to France, where he acquired stones of a type regarded worldwide as of highest quality.
The mill is a wooden building with a stone foundation and a metal roof. It remained in continuous operation for well over a century, slowing from full capacity only in the late 1970s when the miller decided to go into partial retirement. Since then, the mill has continued in use: partially as a milling museum
Museum
A museum is an institution that cares for a collection of artifacts and other objects of scientific, artistic, cultural, or historical importance and makes them available for public viewing through exhibits that may be permanent or temporary. Most large museums are located in major cities...
, and partially as a gristmill. In 1975, it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
, qualifying because of its architecture and because of its significance in Ohio's history
History of Ohio
The history of Ohio includes many thousands of years of human activity. What is now Ohio was probably first settled by Paleo-Indian peoples, who lived in the area as early as 13,000 BCE. Later ancestors of Native Americans were known as the Archaic peoples...
. Today, the mill is operated by the Friends of Bear's Mill, a non-profit organization
Non-profit organization
Nonprofit organization is neither a legal nor technical definition but generally refers to an organization that uses surplus revenues to achieve its goals, rather than distributing them as profit or dividends...
dedicated to maintaining and operating the mill as a historic landmark.