Rock Mill
Why it's listed
Rock Mill is a grist mill built in 1824 on the rim of a sandstone gorge below the upper falls of the Hocking River, near Lancaster in Fairfield County, Ohio. Its hand-hewn oak frame, braced and joined with pegged mortise and tenon joints, rises three stories above the rim, with two more levels down in the gorge. A 26-foot overshot wheel once drove the machinery, fed by a dam, a millrace cut through solid rock and a forebay. The mill was remodeled in 1899 with a turbine, then steam power, and stopped milling around 1905, after which it held farm storage. It replaced a log mill of 1799, the first mill in the county. The mill is listed as the only surviving grist mill in Fairfield County and as an unusual design that places grinding and gearing levels in the gorge. Although the equipment is gone and the building is vacant and deteriorated, the framing, the race and the remains of the hursting frame still show how it worked.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the mill represents the early 19th-century grist milling industry in Ohio and is the only remaining grist mill structure in Fairfield County. It is also one of few Ohio mills from the first half of the century and appears structurally unique, with its power and grinding levels built into the gorge. Its ruinous remains may yield information for industrial historians.
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 90000850, listed June 1, 1990. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | Rock Mill Rd. on S bank of the Hocking R., Lancaster |
|---|---|
| County | Fairfield County |
| Listed | June 1, 1990 |
| Reference number | 90000850 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1824-1904 |
| Architect / builder | Unknown (built by a Mr. Barrett or Barnett, per the form) |
| Architectural style | No style |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Industry, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Vacant and in deteriorated condition; the northwest corner is structurally unsound, though the interior framing and flooring are described as excellent. |
| Acreage | 0.8 |
| Coordinates | 39.74850, -82.71308 (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 90000850.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q112691186
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.