{"nrhp_refnum":"83003995","name":"China Grove Roller Mill","other_names":[],"category":"building","location":{"address":"308 N. Main St.","address_restricted":false,"city":"China Grove","county":"Rowan County","state":"NC","lat":35.57113560500005,"lon":-80.57789525499999,"geom_source":"nps_gis"},"listed_date":"1983-12-29","is_nhl":false,"nhl_designated_date":null,"areas_of_significance":["Industry","Architecture","Agriculture"],"significance_levels":["local"],"summary":{"what_it_is":"A three-story red brick roller flour and grist mill at 308 North Main Street in China Grove, Rowan County, North Carolina, built in 1903 to replace an 1896 frame mill on the same site.","why_significant":"The nomination argues the mill is an intact example of industrial architecture in Rowan County, with most of its early machinery still operating. It was one of the first roller mills in the county and marks the start of industrialization in piedmont North Carolina. It is also tied to the Cooper family, who have held company office since 1898.","narrative":"Three stories of warm red brick rise above North Main Street in China Grove, where a roller flour and grist mill has operated since the 1890s. The present building dates from 1903 and replaced a frame mill from 1896, which was moved and turned into a house. Contractors Lipe and Corriher built it. Power changed from steam to electricity in 1906, and much of the belt-driven machinery, including six roller mills, dates from that year. Additions include brick garage bays, a 1913 grain elevator and a 1974 storage shed built after a fire. The mill was among the first roller mills in Rowan County and reflects the farm prosperity and early industrialization of the North Carolina piedmont. Members of the Cooper family have served as company officers since 1898. It still grinds local wheat and corn and sells feed, seed and garden supplies. Its largely intact machinery makes it a notable example of industrial architecture in the county.","period_of_significance":"1900-","architect_builder":"Unknown; the history section names contractors Lipe and Corriher as builders of the 1903 brick building.","architectural_style":null,"criteria":["A","B","C"],"status_note":"Occupied and in continuous operation as a working mill and retail feed and garden supply outlet; altered by additions, including a 1974 grain storage addition built after a fire.","vacant_flag":false,"machine_generated":true,"model":"claude-sonnet-5-5","prompt_version":"v1.0-2026-10-29","generated_at":"2026-10-29 02:57:49.169631-05","source_pdf":"https://s3.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/opastorage/live/42/7220/47722042/content/electronic-records/rg-079/NPS_NC/83003995.pdf"},"photo":{"url_800":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/media/83003995/9ab2c392af-800.webp","url_1600":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/media/83003995/9ab2c392af-1600.webp","licence":"CC BY-SA 3.0","author":"Ncpappy","credit_html":"<a href=\"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:China_Grove_Roller_Mill,_China_Grove_NC.jpg\" rel=\"noopener\">Ncpappy</a>, <a href=\"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0\" rel=\"license noopener\">CC BY-SA 3.0</a>, via Wikimedia Commons","source_page":"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:China_Grove_Roller_Mill,_China_Grove_NC.jpg"},"district":null,"sources":{"nps_snapshot_date":"2026-05-22","nara_catalog":"https://catalog.archives.gov/id/47722042","wikipedia":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/China_Grove_Roller_Mill","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q19864503"},"indexable":true,"url":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/north-carolina/rowan-county/china-grove-roller-mill-83003995/"}