White's-Vale Mill
Why it's listed
White's-Vale's Mill and Dam stands on the Hocking River at the edge of Athens, Ohio. The mill is a three-story frame building with heavy hewn beam construction, a sandstone block foundation and clapboard siding. It was built about 1855 as a flouring mill by Nathan Vale at Dyesville in Meigs County. After a mill on the Athens site burned in 1912, E.S. White bought Vale's mill, dismantled it and rebuilt it here, with the parts numbered for reassembly. The mill ground flour continuously until 1975, when high water destroyed part of the dam. The attached dam is built of notched hewn logs in a double-walled crib, a very early method that is rare in Ohio, and was later capped with concrete. Mills have operated on the site since about 1807. It is the only historic water-powered grist mill and dam standing in Athens, and much of its early grinding machinery remains usable.
Significance in brief: The mill and dam are described as the only historic water-powered grist mill and dam standing in Athens, on a site with mills since about 1807. The log crib dam is a rare early dam type in Ohio. The mill is also one of a handful of water-powered grist mills in the state still capable of operating, and it has gained significance on its present site after nearly 70 years.
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 82003543, listed July 29, 1982. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | OH 682, Athens |
|---|---|
| County | Athens County |
| Listed | July 29, 1982 |
| Reference number | 82003543 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | Nathan Vale (original mill, c. 1855); E.S. White (moved and rebuilt, 1912-1915) |
| Areas of significance | Industry, Engineering |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Milling continued until 1975, when high water damaged the dam; the machinery is not currently used but is described as largely usable. The owner hopes to restore the dam and resume grinding. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 39.32112, -82.12536 (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.
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 82003543.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q137599622
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.