Rieser Mill
Why it's listed
Rieser Mill is a banked stone gristmill on Grange Road, about a mile south of Leesport in Berks County, Pennsylvania. The original stone section, measuring 45 feet 7 inches by 41 feet 6 inches, rises two and a half stories over a basement and carries the date 1825 on its hoist hood. A water-powered gristmill has operated on the site since early in the eighteenth century, when Jacob Rieser established a log mill after emigrating from Switzerland in 1726. The 1825 rebuilding by Abraham Rieser replaced the water wheel with turbines. The mill is regarded as a typical example of the merchant mills that replaced colonial mills across Berks County between 1818 and 1870. Its extra storage floor, limestone walls and red sandstone quoins reflect that building type. Beside it stands the stone and brick miller's house, begun in 1784 by John Jacob Rieser, with a later brick rear wing and remodeling from the mid-to-late 1800s.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the mill is important for its association with the county gristmill industry and the 'great rebuilding' of Berks County mills between 1818 and 1870, and that it is representative of Berks County merchant mills of the period. The Rieser family's long milling history from the 1700s through the 1900s is also cited as significant.
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 90001628, listed November 8, 1990. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | Jct. of Grange and Cross Keys Rds., Bern Township, Leesport |
|---|---|
| County | Berks County |
| Listed | November 8, 1990 |
| Reference number | 90001628 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1784 to 1939 |
| Architectural style | Stone vernacular style |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Industry, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | The form states the mill ceased operating after the last miller, Robert Heck, was forced to discontinue due to difficulty maintaining water power; the miller's house is occupied by a Rieser family member. |
| Acreage | 1 |
| Coordinates | 40.26991, -75.97407 (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 90001628.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7333160
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.