Malvern Roller Mill
Also known as: Hough's Mill; Malvern Milling Co.; Appel Mill
Why it's listed
Malvern Roller Mill is a country water-powered mill on the south bank of Rock Creek, about nine miles northeast of Morrison in Whiteside County, Illinois. Built around 1858, it is a two-and-a-half-story wood-frame building on a stone foundation, with a scale addition added about 1895 and an engine room added in 1920. Inside, nearly all the original equipment remains, including twin turbines in the basement, a Barnard and Leas roller mill, a middlings purifier, feed grinders, wagon scales and wooden lifting gear. A diesel engine supplemented water power from 1920. The mill ground flour, cornmeal and animal feed for local farmers, and its owner also quarried and ground limestone for use on fields. It closed in 1942. The property is recognized for its role in commerce and industry between 1858 and 1942, and for showing the change from millstones and water wheels to roller milling and turbines.
Significance in brief: The nomination cites the mill's role in commerce and industry, with a period of significance from 1858 to 1942. It retains nearly all of its original milling machinery, including twin turbines, roller mills and a middlings purifier. It illustrates the shift from buhrstone grinding to roller milling and from water wheels to turbines, and shows how a country mill served local farmers.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 95000988, listed August 4, 1995. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 18858 Clover Rd., Morrison |
|---|---|
| County | Whiteside County |
| Listed | August 4, 1995 |
| Reference number | 95000988 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1858-1942 |
| Architectural style | Other: Water Mill |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Industry, Commerce |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Listed as not in use; the mill closed in 1942, but nearly all equipment remains and could be returned to operating condition with some effort. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 41.86514, -89.88463 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For an income-producing building, listing (individually or as a contributing building in a district) is the gateway to the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit on qualified rehabilitation costs, often stackable with state credits. Work claiming the credit must follow the Secretary of the Interior's Standards and be approved in advance.
Listing does not restrict a private owner acting without federal money or permits; where federal funding or licensing is involved, Section 106 review applies.
Noted as vacant in the nomination. Nomination documents can be decades old; current status may differ. If you are considering buying an empty listed property, read the due-diligence checklist.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 95000988.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q6745087
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.