Mansfield Roller Mill | |
![]() | |
Location | Mansfield, Indiana |
---|---|
Coordinates | 39°40′36.75″N87°6′6.03″W / 39.6768750°N 87.1016750°W Coordinates: 39°40′36.75″N87°6′6.03″W / 39.6768750°N 87.1016750°W |
Architect | Jacob Rohm |
MPS | Grain Mills in Indiana MPS |
NRHP reference # | 90001788 [1] |
Added to NRHP | December 7, 1990 |
The Mansfield Roller Mill or Mansfield Mill is a (gristmill) that was built in Mansfield, Indiana, United States by Jacob Rohm in 1875. This building replaced an older mill that dates back to 1821 built by James Kelsey and Francis Dickson;
A gristmill grinds cereal grain into flour and middlings. The term can refer to both the grinding mechanism and the building that holds it.
Mansfield is an unincorporated community in Jackson Township, Parke County, in the U.S. state of Indiana.
Indiana is a U.S. state in the Midwestern and Great Lakes regions of North America. Indiana is the 38th-largest by area and the 17th-most populous of the 50 United States. Its capital and largest city is Indianapolis. Indiana was admitted to the United States as the 19th U.S. state on December 11, 1816. Indiana borders Lake Michigan to the northwest, Michigan to the north, Ohio to the east, Kentucky to the south and southeast, and Illinois to the west.
The mill is a state historic site owned by the Indiana Department of Natural Resources, Division of State Parks. It is operated by the Raccoon Lake Interpretive Services from nearby Raccoon State Recreation Area. Much of the original water powered equipment still operates.
In 1821 James Kelsey and Francis Dickson partnered up to build a small mill along the banks of the Big Raccoon Creek. The spot they chose was ideal as it stood on firm sandstone bedrock near a sandstone ford in the creek. Plenty of virgin timber in the uncut wilderness provided materials for the original 30 X 20 log structure. In 1828, after a lengthy lawsuit, James Kelsey sells his half of the mill to Francis Dickson for $500. later that year Dickson sells 2/3 of an interest in the mill to James and Joseph Strain for $1,500. He then sells 1/3 of an interest in the mill for $1,800 to Joseph Pots. in 1831 Pots sells his interest in the mill to the Strain brothers in 1839 for $2,000. The Strain brothers are believed to be responsible for adding a sash mill sometime in the 1830s. In 1845 they sell the mill and surrounding land to Senator George Kirkpatrick Steele. Steele was a local store owner who had come to the area from nearby Portland Mills in 1829. During Steele's ownership it is believed that the original structure was added on and enlarged until it reached a size of 50' x 60'.
The mill was sold in 1846 to George W Crosby who died shortly thereafter. Leaving his heirs with significant debt the mill's ownership was sold at auction to Judge Samuel B Gookins for $4,714. Judge Gookins is responsible for platting the town of Mansfield during his ownership of the Mill. Peter and Nancy Bird bought the mills from Mr Gookin for $8,000 in 1861. The Mill changed hands 3 more times in the next 5 years, eventually coming into the hands of James Murphy in 1866 for $8,000. He then sold the mill to who perhaps may have been the most influential owners of the Mill, Jacob and Mary Rohm in 1875.
In 1875 a local mill entrepreneur by the name of Jacob Rohm bought the Mansfield Mill. Being a veteran miller he made some impressive changes to the structure. first he tore down the mill in 1880 and redesigned it from the ground up. He replaced the previous tub wheels with two new water powered turbines, the 85 HP Rodney Hunt installed in 1886 and the 65 HP Lefel installed in 1889. He also modeled the mill entirely off of the latest Oliver Evans design with bucket elevators and spouts replacing bag and shoulder methods. He also added in a corn mill on the south wall in addition to the 4 operating flour mills. In 1884 he removed the antiquated Buhr stones and replaced them with top-of-the-line metal roll-stands. The new mill was valued at $18,000 in 1891.
In 1929, Jacob Rohm's two sons sold the mill to Walter Ferguson. He in turn sold the Mill to Clarence Reeves in 1933 for $2,000. R.L. Reeves inherited the mill from his father and ran the mill as R.L. Reeves and Son up until his death in 1967. The mill then sold in 1969 for $1.00 to Edward (Tex) Terry and his wife Isabell.
Between 1973 and 1978 Tex Kelly (Edward Earl Terry (actor)) "The Bad Man of the movies" purchased the Mansfield Roller Mill and several other buildings and attempted to fulfill his dream of turning the town into Frontier City. His efforts failed and in 1979, Tex and Isabel returned to Tex's hometown of Coxville, Indiana and opened "Tex's Longhorn Tavern". [2] [3]
Coxville, also known as Roseville, is an unincorporated community in Florida Township, Parke County, in the U.S. state of Indiana.
in 1978 the mill was sold to Robert Twell.
Owners Jack & Shirley Dalton and Frank & Sharon Hutcheson donated the mill to the Indiana Department of Natural Resources, Division of State Museums and Historic Sites in 1995. In 2002 the mill was traded from The Division of Historic Sites to the Division of State Parks and Reservoirs, and is now owned, maintained and operated by Raccoon State Recreation Area.
The Indiana Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is the agency of the U.S. state of Indiana. There are many divisions within the DNR and each has a specific role. The DNR is not only responsible for maintaining resource areas but also manages Indiana's fish and wildlife, reclaims coal mine ground, manages forested areas, aids in the management of wildlife on private lands, enforces Indiana's conservation laws, and many other duties not named here. According to the department's website, their mission is "to protect, enhance, preserve, and wisely use natural, cultural, and recreational resources for the benefit of Indiana's citizens through professional leadership, management, and education".
In 1998 significant restoration work was started that took several years to complete. The overhaul was started by Indiana Division of Historic Sites in the 1990s and completed by Raccoon State Recreation Area in 2005. The mill does equipment demonstrations for festivals and special events using its original Rodney Hunt Turbine installed in 1886.
The Mansfield Roller Mill is located at the corner of Mansfield Rd. (historic) and Big Raccoon Creek in Mansfield IN 47872, just southeast of Rockville, Indiana.
Rockville is a town in Adams Township, Parke County, in the U.S. state of Indiana. The population was 2,607 at the 2010 census. The town is the county seat of Parke County. It is known as "The Covered Bridge Capital of the World".
Mansfield Road (historic) is now called by several names depending on the map date:
Turkey Run State Park is an Indiana state park located in Parke County, Indiana, in the west-central part of the state on State Road 47 2 miles (3.2 km) east of U.S. 41. It was Indiana's second state park, with the first parcel of land being purchased in 1916 at the cost of $40,200 when the State Park system was first established during the Indiana state centennial. It hosts the Turkey Run Inn, built in 1919. The origin of the name "Turkey Run" is unknown but the most accepted theory is that wild turkeys would congregate in the gorges for warmth where early settlers in the area would trap them in dead-end gorges and hunt them with ease. The park was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2019.
Bridgeton is an unincorporated community in Raccoon Township, Parke County, in the U.S. state of Indiana. It is notable for its covered bridge, which was destroyed on April 28, 2005, by a fire set by an arsonist. A historically accurate reconstruction of the bridge was completed in October, 2006.
Pleasant Valley Cemetery and Pleasant Valley Methodist Church were formed in 1805 The house was located in Raccoon Township, Parke County, Indiana. The first pastor of the church was William Taylor. Some of the first historical members were James Strange, brother of John Strange, the noted pioneer Methodist Circuit Rider; Bliss Kalley, a native of Massachusetts; Tobias Miller; Jacob Overpeck, a native of Virginia; and Daniel Kalley. The families of these pioneers constituted a large part of the membership in the second generation. The member-ship increased to more than one hundred, and a new frame house was built about 1855. During the American Civil War, the house deteriorated, and services were stopped. In 1885 a new house was built, and services started again.
The Mansfield Covered Bridge is a Double Burr Arch double span truss bridge located on Mansfield Road (historic) and Big Raccoon Creek in Mansfield southeast of Rockville in Parke County, Indiana. Built by Joseph J. Daniels in 1867 at a cost of $12,200. At 279 ft (85 m) it is the second longest covered bridge left in Parke County. This Historic Site rest on land provided by Luke J. Moody and is open to the public.
The Big Rocky Fork Covered Bridge is located 1 mile (1.6 km) southeast of Mansfield, Indiana, on County Road 720 and about 2 miles (3.2 km) east of State Road 59, in Parke County.
Conley's Ford Covered Bridge was built in 1906 and crosses Big Raccoon Creek on County Road 550 East close to County Road 720 South, in Parke County, IN. The bridge is a single span Burr Arch Truss structure. The Conley's Ford Covered Bridge was built by J. P. Van Fossen.
The first Bridgeton Covered Bridge was a long double span Burr Arch bridge built in 1868 by a crew led by J. J. Daniels. The bridge was closed to traffic in 1967. It had been built to replace two prior open wooden bridges that had fallen in. After its destruction by fire, it was replaced in 2006 by a reproduction.
The Nevins Covered Bridge is a single span Burr Arch Truss covered bridge that crosses Little Raccoon Creek on County Road 130 East, just southeast of Catlin, Indiana. It was built in 1920 by Joseph A. Britton and Son. Prior to the reconstruction of the Bridgeton Bridge in 2006, the Nevins Bridge was the newest covered bridge in Parke County.
The Crooks Covered Bridge is a single span Burr Arch Truss structure that crosses Little Raccoon Creek built in 1855-1856 by Henry Wolf just southeast of Rockville, Indiana.
The Neet Covered Bridge is a Burr Arch single span structure that was built by Joseph J. Daniels in 1904 over Little Raccoon Creek southwest of Rockville, Indiana.
The Jackson Covered Bridge also known as the Rockport Covered Bridge is located in the 'forgotten town' of Rockport, northwest of Bloomingdale, Parke County, Indiana, USA.
The Mecca Covered Bridge crossing Big Raccoon Creek East of Mecca, Indiana is a single span Burr Arch Truss covered bridge structure that was built by J. J. Daniels in 1873. The bridge is 176 feet (54 m) long, 17 feet (5.2 m) wide, and 12.5 feet (3.8 m) high.
The Mill Creek Covered Bridge also known as "Thompson's Ford Covered Bridge," "Tow Path Covered Bridge," or "Earl Ray Covered Bridge" crosses Wabash Mill Creek (historic) southwest of Tangier, Indiana. It is a single span Burr Arch Truss covered bridge structure that was built by D. M. Brown in 1907.
The Portland Mills Covered Bridge is the second oldest covered bridge in Parke County, Indiana, being built the same year as the Crooks Covered Bridge. It is a single span Burr Arch Truss covered bridge that was built by Henry Wolf in 1856.
The Rush Creek Covered Bridge is south of Tangier, Indiana. The single span Burr Arch covered bridge structure was built by William Hendricks in 1904.
The Wilkins Mill Covered Bridge is north of Rockville, Indiana. The single span Burr Arch Truss covered bridge structure was built by William Hendricks in 1906. The bridge is 120 feet (37 m) long, 16 feet (4.9 m) wide, and 13 feet (4.0 m) high.
Jackson Township is one of thirteen townships in Parke County, Indiana, United States. As of the 2010 census, its population was 737 and it contained 475 housing units.
The Armiesburg Covered Bridge was on the south side of Armiesburg, Indiana. The Long Truss with arch covered bridge structure was built by Henry Wolf in 1907 and destroyed by the Great Flood of 1913.
The Dooley Station Covered Bridge was east of Dooley Station, Indiana. The Burr arch truss style single span covered bridge crossed Little Raccoon Creek and was built by W.C. Carty in 1917 and destroyed by arson in 1960.