New Hope Mills Complex
Why it's listed
At the crossroads hamlet of New Hope in Cayuga County, a gristmill complex preserves two eras of grain milling beside a 24-foot waterfall on Bear Swamp Creek. Judge Charles Kellogg built the three-story, timber-framed mill in 1823, and it ground flour and feed on millstones driven by a submerged tub wheel. In 1892 owner Eugene Rounds added two wings and installed six steel roller mills, grain cleaners, sifters, bag packers and a turbine, more than quadrupling output. Most of that machinery remains in place and can operate. The group also includes a 1935 saw mill replacing Kellogg's burned original, two dams, a one-acre millpond, a 1910s storage barn, and two nineteenth-century houses, one of them a rare plank house. Later additions such as a 1965 covered bridge and a 1971 water wheel do not contribute. The property was listed for its role in the area's settlement and industry and for its vernacular mill architecture and engineering, with a significance period of 1823 to 1935.
Significance in brief: The complex is argued to be significant as a substantially intact nineteenth-century gristmill with seven related buildings and structures built between 1823 and 1935. Its 1890s steel roller milling machinery survives in place and can still operate. It represents rural vernacular hydraulic engineering and grain milling technology as it evolved during the nineteenth century.
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 05000158, listed March 15, 2005. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | Glen Haven Rd. and NY 41A, New Hope |
|---|---|
| County | Cayuga County |
| Listed | March 15, 2005 |
| Reference number | 05000158 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1823 - 1935 |
| Architect / builder | Judge Charles Kellogg |
| Architectural style | Nineteenth century vernacular |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Exploration/Settlement, Industry |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | The mill shut down in 1998; the machinery survives intact and is capable of operation. The nominated parcels are privately owned. |
| Acreage | 5 |
| Coordinates | 42.79888, -76.34653 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary: it recognises significance and does not restrict what a private owner may do without federal money or permits. It unlocks the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit for income-producing buildings, state credits in many states, and Section 106 review when federal agencies are involved. See what listing means in practice.
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 05000158.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q14707062
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.