Compass Mill

Directions: Located along Pa 772/Rothsville Road about 2 miles SE of Lititz on Lititz Run.

The first grist mill was built on land purchased by George Kline from Hans Bender, whose sons had built the 700' headrace and 900'tailrace to supply an earlier saw

mill. The 1756 log mill built was by the Moravian Brethern with water power obtained from Lititz Run. A fire in 1775 destroyed the log mill, but it was rebuilt by

the Moravians in 1775, a 2.5 / 3 story limestone mill 42'X 60' in size. The name came from the fact that the mill was laid out using the cardinal points of a compass.

The new mill was owned by most of Litiz and Christian Franck in 1777, Christopher Franck and Lititz 1780,81 & 82, Philip Fredrich & Lititz 1785-1787, and Mr. Domzart & Lititz in 1797. The mill was owned by three generations of Kellers starting with

John Keller in 1806, then it was sold by S.E. Keller in 1865 to Benjamin Ritter. Benjamin Bitzer owned the mill from around 1875 and also around 1886, A.W. Shober in 1883, M.B. Weitzel in 1899. S.E. Bushong secured the mill in 1905.

A possible addition in 1784 is corroberated by a datestone and changes in the stonework. This addition would have occurred around the Franck / Fredrich

transfer. The mill was powered by 2 turbines powered by the water from the 700' headrace, dropping 6' from the stream to the turbines, then returning to the Lititz

Run via a 900'tailrace.

Millport Roller Mill

Directions: Five miles SE of Akron, Pa. make an angled right turn from Pa 272 onto Pa 722, a couple hundred yards north of US 222. Turn right on Becker Road after 0.25 miles, go about 1.5 miles, turn left on E. Millport Road. The mill is on the right in less than a half mile, after passing Warwick Road junction on the right.

A saw mill was listed for sale by Joseph Musser in 1816, and a 3 story stone grist mill & saw mill, 40'X 50', was offered for sale in 1822 in the new community of

Millport.

The mill was acquired in the 1820's by Jacob Weis, Samuel Fry becoming the recipient in 1862 since he had married Weis' daughter. C. Neff ran the mill in 1875.

The mill was rebuilt in 1892, utilizing some of the original foundations, by S. Goffroth.

The rebuilt mill is a 60'X 80' structure 2.5 stories frame with a stone foundation. Purchased in 1902 by Wallace Zook, then owned by Elmer L. Zook in 1932, J.R.

Zook in 1994. Currently operating as part of J.M. Hoober Co., Stocker Feed Division.

The flour & grist mill was fed by the waters of Lititz Run, dropping 12' from the dam as it traveled through the 1700' headrace, a 2500' tailrace returned the water after

turning the two turbines to produce 50 barrels/day of flour.

Oregon Roller Mill

Directions: Located 6.0 miles NE of downtown Lancaster,Pa. on Pa 272 at Lititz Run

The 1812 mill was built By Jacob Steman 40'X 60' to a height of 3.5 stories. An earlier mill on the site was built by Jacob Bear in 1717 and was sold to Martin Myers in

1759/67. About 1810, the old mill was sold to Jacob Steman & son, Jacob Jr., who built the new mill in 1812 to replace the older, smaller mill. The Steman mill was sold

at sheriff's sale in 1824 to the Pennsylvania Bank, who in turn sold it to Benjamin Landis in 1829. He held it for 5 years, then sold to Jacob(Jonathan) Hess in 1850. In

1864, the owner was Abram Shenk; Simon Hostetter, 1872-1899 or early 1900's.

The 1812 mill was built of limestone with a headrace of 40', a tailrace of 300', and a fall in height from the dam of 12'. The flour and grist mill produced about 75 bbls of

flour/day in its zenith.

In 1909 there was a fire that destroyed much of the interior structure. It was rebuilt

that same year by Harry Winter (Withers) according to a date stone. The outer structure appears to be still that of the 1812 mill.

The last operator was Elmer Zook, who closed the mill in 1943. In 1969 it was vacant, in 1987 it was partially refurbished and an insuance agency was in the first floor, and in 1994, the building was owned by the Curch of the Brethren and was

being used as offices for same.

Pfoutz's Mill / Rothsville Mill

Directions: Located on Rothsville Road 2.5 miles SE of Pa 501 in Lititz, Pa. The mill is at Rothsville Road and N. Heck Road just east of Lititz Run bridge and Warwick Road junction.

Jacob Geyer had a hemp & oil mill on Pfoutz land in pre 1772. Johannes Pfoutz (Pfautz) built the present 2.5 story limestone mill with basement to 40'X 60' or less

dimensions in 1793. Pfoutz owned the first mill from 1786, and he and his son owned the current mill through 1814.

In 1814, Peter Hall bought the mill and continued with it for about 10 years, selling

it to Henry Becker, where it was kept in the family for 50 years. The 3 story merchant mill was sold to J. K. Jrantz in 1870.

Krantz still operated the flour, grist, and saw mill with a production of 10

barrels/day of flour thru 1875. Two turbines operated the machinery, fed by a 50'

headrace from the dam 8.5' higher upstream. The waters were released back to

Lititz Run via a 50' tailrace. Ben Flory had the mill in 1883, although Hess & Pfoutz

are also credited with ownership at the same time.

Ben E. Flory released ownership to John Herman in 1911, who turned around and

sold to John Zook in 1912. The mill was closed from operation by Isaac G. Bushong

in 1927, the tenth year of his millership

In 1973, the mill was a part of the Warwick Farms operation. The mill was in good to better condition in 1987 and 1992.

The mill was being used as a studio and office in 1995 and in 2005 had been upgraded to great condition. The mill has lost a little of its sparkle since 2005.

The miller's house situated just across the side lane from the mill.

Rome Mill

Directions: At the east end of Lititz, turn left just past Oak St. off of E. Main St./Pa 772 onto Lititz Run Road. The mill is at the first corner, 0.2 mile off Pa 772.

A hemp and an oil mill were in operation at this site from pre 1785 through the first

decade, at least of the 1800's, owned and operated by Christian & Susanna Hess.

The owner was Yeager in 1824, Samuel Eby in 1830, and Samuel Eby Jr. in the

1840's. In the 1850's & 1860's, the mill was owned by Jonas Hess & then Anna Hess, Susanna Frank in 1864, and J. H. Hess in 1899.

The stone mill burned in 1884 and 2.5 stories of frame were built onto the old stone

foundation by Samuel Keller. The mill was built reportedly to 40'X 50', but is

actually only 35'X 45' in size. Keller is credited with a mill on Carter Creek (Lititz

Run). S.E. Keller was owner of the Compass Mill,Pa-36-36-03, in 1875, just downstream from the Rome Mill built in 1885. David Huber was a later

operator/owner of the Rome mill as was his son, John K. Huber, who ceased the mill

operations at an unknown date.