Bear's Mill
Why it's listed
Bear's Mill is a three and one-half story frame gristmill west of Greenville in Darke County, Ohio, powered by water from Greenville Creek. Its hand-hewn timber frame, some beams 12 by 16 inches and up to 50 feet long, is covered in black walnut weatherboard dating to 1849. Gabriel Bear, a Pennsylvania miller, took over construction from the Hart brothers and began milling that year. After local stone proved poor, he bought three French buhr millstones, installed in 1850 and still grinding at the time of listing. Two turbines supply about 65 horsepower. Marcellus Cromer added five roller mills in 1886, three of which remain on the second floor. Charles Andrews bought the mill in 1946 and kept its historic character, shipping stone-ground flours and meals widely. The mill is recognized as the oldest manufacturing facility in Darke County and as a working record of milling methods.
Significance in brief: The nomination calls it a rare water-powered gristmill still operated in the pre-industrial manner and the oldest manufacturing facility in Darke County. It is also valued as a museum of milling technique, with French buhr stones from 1850 and roller mills installed in the 1880s.
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 75001372, listed June 10, 1975. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 6450 Arcanum-Bear's Mill Rd, Greenville |
|---|---|
| County | Darke County |
| Listed | June 10, 1975 |
| Reference number | 75001372 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 19th Century (specific date 1849) |
| Architect / builder | William, Moses and Manning Hart began construction; Gabriel Bear completed the mill and began milling (1849) |
| Architectural style | Vernacular (Jacksonian era frame industrial building) |
| Areas of significance | Industry, Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Listed in good condition and occupied; still producing stone-ground meal and flour for local retail sale and visitors, with the miller semi-retired at the time of nomination. |
| Acreage | 6 |
| Coordinates | 40.10679, -84.54200 (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 75001372.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q4876328
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.