Searight's Fulling Mill
Why it's listed
Built about 1810 of sandstone in Perryopolis, Fayette County, this two-and-a-half-story gable-roofed fulling mill is built into a slope, with its upper floor at ground level at the front and its lower floor at the rear. It measures about 20 by 30 feet, with walls at least 24 inches thick on the lower level. A stone-lined drainage ditch runs beneath a semicircular arch with keystone. Inside are two fireplaces and original floor joists. The mill was designed around an overshot water wheel that lifted mallets to beat cloth. Thomas Cook leased it to William Searight in 1814. Searight ran the fulling business until factory-made cloth and railway transport undercut his prices, and he closed the mill in the late 1820s. Its significance lies in its representation of a small rural water-powered wool mill that was made obsolete by industrial change.
Significance in brief: The nomination describes it as an early fulling mill of Western Pennsylvania and a fine example of a small fulling mill. It represents the water-powered mills that processed coarse wool. Its operation was made obsolete by the factory system and railway transportation, and the form notes it was restored toward its original condition.
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 73001631, listed June 19, 1973. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Cemetery Rd., Perryopolis |
|---|---|
| County | Fayette County |
| Listed | June 19, 1973 |
| Reference number | 73001631 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | c. 1810 |
| Areas of significance | Industry, Architecture |
| Level of significance | National |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Restored to original appearance; interior restoration and a water wheel were planned or in progress at the time of the form. |
| Acreage | 8 |
| Coordinates | 40.08376, -79.74464 (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 73001631.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7441753
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.