Lancaster County Water-Powered Grist Mills

Course | Registration opens 1/21/2025 8:00 AM EST

Penn State York, 1031 Edgecomb Avenue York, PA 17403-3398 United States
Main Classroom Bldg, Conference Center, 31 B and C
Members and nonmembers
4/22/2025 (one day)
1:00 PM-2:30 PM EST on Tue
$20.00
$8.00

Lancaster County Water-Powered Grist Mills

Course | Registration opens 1/21/2025 8:00 AM EST

Lancaster County’s mills were once extremely important contributors to the Lancaster County economy. The local mill was where people went to get their mail and catch up on the local news while delivering their corn or wheat to be processed into animal feed, cornmeal, or flour. Today, most of them are long gone, but about 100 still stand as testaments to a bygone era. Join us for a brief history of milling and water-powered mill technology. We will also relate stories from a few of the mills and a summary of how they are being used today. 

Donald Kautz

Donald Kautz is a retired software developer, amateur photographer, and local historian. Don has given numerous talks in the local area about the history of the Conestoga River and has written a book entitled The Conestoga River: A History. He has also done extensive research on Lancaster County grist mills and has recently published a book entitled Mills of Lancaster County. Don lives near Lancaster with his wife and has three grown children and two grandsons.