Kister Mill
Why it's listed
Millbrook, in Wayne County, Ohio, once supported a large milling industry, and the Kister Mill at the end of the village's half-mile mill race is what remains. The Kister family bought a fulling mill site around 1850 and converted it to grist milling. A wood and metal shop was added in 1881. In 1894 the old mill was dismantled and the present braced-frame building was raised from its materials. It has an open shed with a circular sawmill, an enclosed shed with a cider press, and a roller mill for cereal grains. Power comes from an overshot waterwheel in a separate structure, driving belt-powered line shafts. The current wheel, built in 1967, is the third since 1894. The nomination holds that the mill is the last milling enterprise in Ohio run by a waterwheel, and that it is a working operation rather than a restoration, in excellent condition with continuous service.
Significance in brief: The nomination calls the mill unique in Ohio as the last remaining milling enterprise operated by a waterwheel. It is a practical working mill, not a restoration, offering a circular sawmill, grist mill and cider press. Its structure, equipment and services have continued without a break since the 1880s and 1894.
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 74001647, listed July 10, 1974. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Jct. of Twnshp. Rds. 34 and 228, Millbrook |
|---|---|
| County | Wayne County |
| Listed | July 10, 1974 |
| Reference number | 74001647 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 19th and 20th centuries; specific date 1894 |
| Areas of significance | Industry |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Stated to be in excellent condition, occupied and in industrial use; the mill has never been idle since 1894 and is still operating. |
| Acreage | 1 |
| Coordinates | 40.72655, -82.00471 (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 74001647.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q138763942
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.