Clear Spring Mill
Why it's listed
Clear Spring Mill is a milling complex in the hamlet of Clear Spring, Franklin Township, York County, Pennsylvania. Its main building, a 2 1/2-story frame grist mill, was rebuilt in 1886 by Edward and Elizabeth Dick on a site where a mill had operated since 1809. The grist mill was powered by an internal water wheel and turbines fed from a steel tank, and much of its interior, including the milling floor, bucket elevator, and pulley system, remains in place. A sawmill and a corncrib stand nearby. The site is significant for its role in processing corn and wheat grown by local farmers during the late 19th century, when grain milling supported cash crop farming in the area. The grist mill is also regarded as an intact, largely unaltered example of milling architecture in York County, and as the last remaining grist mill in Franklin Township. The sawmill, by contrast, has deteriorated badly and is open to the weather.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the mill was important to the growth of corn and wheat as cash crops in this part of York County in the second half of the 19th century, and that it served local farmers as a processing site. It also argues the grist mill is an intact, largely unaltered example of milling architecture in York County and the last remaining grist mill in Franklin Township.
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 96001199, listed November 4, 1996. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | Jct. of Capitol Hill and Clear Spring Rd., W. corner, Franklin Township, Dillsburg |
|---|---|
| County | York County |
| Listed | November 4, 1996 |
| Reference number | 96001199 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1886 - 1945 |
| Architect / builder | Edward & Elizabeth Dick (builders, per datestone) |
| Architectural style | Late Victorian; Second Empire |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Agriculture, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | The grist mill was restored in 1994 and 1995 using the Rehabilitation Tax Credit program; the sawmill is in a state of collapse. |
| Acreage | 5.4 |
| Coordinates | 40.05704, -77.06444 (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 96001199.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5130777
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.