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Compass Mill
Mill No: Pa-36-36-03-CompassMill

State -

Pennsylvania
County -

Lancaster Co.
Township -

Warwick Twp.
Year -

Earlier log mill 1756, this mill 1775
Water Source -

Lititz Run (Creek)
 

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 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.
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.
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.


The inside shot shows a large wheel that quite possibly is an undershot wheel. This may be purely decorative, since undershot wheels weren't known to be very efficient. The mill produced flour, grist and also operated as a sawmill, either separately or while functioning as a flour or grist mill. Average output was recorded as 25 barrels of flour/day. In 1925, W. Martin Hess aquired the mill and closed it in 1927. In 1987 through at least 1994, the mill was used as an antique furniture store. The mill has been maintained well through the years since closing, and still contains some water-powered milling equipment. It is sometimes called the Rome Mill, but that is the mill about a mile upstream and still standing in good shape.




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

"The Lord will be awesome to them, for He will reduce to nothing all the gods of the earth; people shall worship Him, each one from his place, indeed all the shores of the nations."
Zephaniah 2:11 NKJv



 

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