Elson-Magnolia Flour Mill
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Why it's listed
This complex in the center of Magnolia, Ohio, grew around a flour mill built about 1834 beside a mill race fed by the Sandy and Beaver Canal. The four-story heavy timber mill rests on a sandstone foundation and holds its milling equipment, grain bins and water wheel. Power changed over time from water to steam, gasoline and, in 1948, electricity. The district also contains the 1878 brick Italianate Elson House, lumber company buildings from 1905 to 1965, an 1878 horse barn, a circa 1870 railroad depot moved to the site in 1922, and the site of a former lumber mill. The mill was significant for its role in local settlement and early industry, and as a surviving nineteenth-century mill type. It is described as the last operating mill in Stark County, and the house is noted as an intact example of Italianate architecture. The period of significance runs from 1834 to 1950.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the mill is significant under Criterion A for its link to early settlement and development in Stark County and as an example of early industrial technology. It qualifies under Criterion C as a distinctive nineteenth-century flour mill type, and the Elson house qualifies as an intact Italianate example. It is described as the last operating mill in the county, with its equipment intact.
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 00000800, listed July 14, 2000. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 261 N. Main St., Magnolia |
|---|---|
| County | Stark County |
| Listed | July 14, 2000 |
| Reference number | 00000800 |
| Resource type | District |
| Period of significance | 1834-1950 |
| Architectural style | Late Victorian: Italianate |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Exploration/Settlement, Commerce, Industry, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | The mill is still a functioning commercial mill with its equipment and water wheel in place, now electric powered. The Elson house is operated as a bed and breakfast. |
| Acreage | 5.5 |
| Coordinates | 40.65357, -81.29940 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
This is a historic district. Buildings within its boundary are either contributing (they add to the district's significance) or non-contributing. Owners of contributing income-producing buildings can claim the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit; homeowners should look at state credits. National Register districts impose no design review by themselves; a local historic district ordinance, if one exists, does (the difference explained).
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 00000800.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q112691097
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.