Burnt Cabins Gristmill Property
Why it's listed
Burnt Cabins Grist Mill sits on a stream in the village of Burnt Cabins, in rural Dublin Township, Fulton County. The complex includes a three-story mill, a log miller's house built in two sections, a log barn, a small ice house and several outbuildings. Milling on the site is recorded from around 1770, when John Burd was taxed for a gristmill there, and the present mill is dated to circa 1840 and attributed to the Dubbs family. The mill retains original wooden hoppers, bins and timber framing, along with a 14-foot overshot wooden waterwheel that remains in use. The nomination regards it as an unusually intact example of an early rural milling operation, with operable machinery and waterwheels, and it still produces cornmeal, buckwheat and wheat flours. Its surviving mill, house and outbuildings are presented as a complete example of an early western Pennsylvania milling complex.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the mill is a well-preserved, excellent example of an early grist milling operation in a rural Pennsylvania community, with structurally intact and operable machinery and waterwheels. Milling has occurred on the site since circa 1770, and the complex is said to embody the characteristics of an early western Pennsylvania milling complex.
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 80003502, listed November 28, 1980. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Allen's Valley Rd., Burnt Cabins |
|---|---|
| County | Fulton County |
| Listed | November 28, 1980 |
| Reference number | 80003502 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | c. 1840 |
| Architect / builder | Frederick Dubbs (builder) |
| Areas of significance | Commerce, Engineering |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | The mill still produces cornmeal, buckwheat and wheat flours; the wooden waterwheel is in use while the steel wheel and diesel engine are not in use but are operable. |
| Acreage | 10 |
| Within district | Burnt Cabins Historic District |
| Coordinates | 40.07756, -77.88767 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary: it recognises significance and does not restrict what a private owner may do without federal money or permits. It unlocks the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit for income-producing buildings, state credits in many states, and Section 106 review when federal agencies are involved. See what listing means in practice.
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 80003502.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5000184
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.