Wertz Mill
Why it's listed
Wernersville's Wertz Mill is a three-story brick gristmill with a Mansard roof, slate sides and a cupola, standing beside the railroad tracks across from the village railroad station. George W. Wertz built it in 1892 after selling his earlier mill to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania for a state mental hospital. He was also president of the Wernersville National Bank. Wertz installed the most modern roller-milling equipment of the day and specialized in whole wheat and buckwheat flour. In 1906 the mill began generating electricity for village residents, which the nomination credits with aiding the town's growth. The last miller, Wilson Morrow, ceased milling in March 1969, and a garden center opened in the building a month later. The mill is significant for its industrial role in grain milling and as a well-preserved example of Victorian mill architecture in Berks County.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the mill is a fine example of a large Victorian flour mill that used roller-milling technology and embodies the popular Second Empire style of the 1890s. Its association with the grain milling industry between 1892 and 1939 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 90001635, listed November 8, 1990. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 60 Werner St., Wernersville |
|---|---|
| County | Berks County |
| Listed | November 8, 1990 |
| Reference number | 90001635 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1892-1939 |
| Architect / builder | George W. Wertz (builder) |
| Architectural style | Second Empire |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Industry, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Operated as a gristmill until 1969; now used as a garden center. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 40.32826, -76.07932 (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 90001635.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7983620
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.