Rummell Mill
Why it's listed
Rummell Mill is a large wood frame grist mill on the Clear Fork, roughly a mile east of Butler, Ohio. Daniel J. Rummell built it about 1850 on a site where Jacob Armentrout had earlier run a sawmill. The rectangular building measures about 33 by 42 feet, stands on a cut sandstone foundation, and has clapboard siding, wide corner boards and gable returns that give it a Greek Revival character. A two-story lean-to added in the late nineteenth century houses the turbine that replaced the original waterwheel. Inside, four floors hold milling machinery, including roller mills, a barrel packer, a huller and a scouring machine, much of it carrying patent dates from the 1870s to 1890. The mill is considered significant as one of the oldest and best preserved mills in the region and the only one in Richland County with its machinery intact. It ceased operating in the later 1940s and recalls the county's former role as home to more water-powered mills than any other Ohio county.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues it is one of the oldest and best preserved grist mills in North Central Ohio and the only mill in Richland County to survive with its machinery intact. It was the last water-powered grist mill in this part of the state to stop operating, in the late 1940s. It also recalls Richland County's former standing as the Ohio county with the most water-powered mills.
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 82003635, listed April 7, 1982. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | NE of Butler on SR 349., Butler |
|---|---|
| County | Richland County |
| Listed | April 7, 1982 |
| Reference number | 82003635 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1850 |
| Architect / builder | Daniel J. Rummell (builder of the present mill, about 1850) |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Agriculture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Unoccupied and deteriorated since closing over thirty years earlier, but the basic structure is described as sound; Amish carpenters made major repairs in 1974. |
| Acreage | 3 |
| Coordinates | 40.59982, -82.40785 (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 82003635.
- 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.