Old Vermilion Mill
Also known as: White Swan Flour Mill
Why it's listed
Old Vermilion Mill, also called the White Swan Flour Mill, is a two-story rectangular building at the northwest corner of Douglas Street and the Norfolk and Western railroad in Vermilion, Ohio. It has a heavy timber frame, vertical wood siding, a sandstone foundation, a gable roof with asphalt shingles, and original four-over-four windows. Its overall shape recalls Greek Revival buildings, though it carries no ornament that would identify it as such. The mill began as a water-powered operation at Mill Hollow in the early nineteenth century. It was later taken apart and moved to its present site beside the railroad. In 1909 H.H. Berk and son bought it and made "White Swan Flour" there until 1916. The building was listed as a reminder of Vermilion's part in exporting grain. At the time of the survey it was in fair condition, looked dilapidated, and served as warehouse storage.
Significance in brief: The nomination presents the mill as evidence of Vermilion's role as a grain exporting center. It began as a water-power mill at Mill Hollow, was later moved to its railroad site, and from 1909 to 1916 produced "White Swan Flour."
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 79003928, listed November 14, 1979. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Douglas St., Vermilion |
|---|---|
| County | Erie County |
| Listed | November 14, 1979 |
| Reference number | 79003928 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architectural style | Vernacular, with a shape reminiscent of Greek Revival but no ornament |
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Commerce |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Described as in fair condition inside and outside, with a dilapidated appearance; used for warehouse storage. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 41.41657, -82.36258 (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 79003928.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.