Wallace-Cross Mill
Why it's listed
Built in 1840 by Alexander Wallace on Rambo Creek in East Hopewell Township, York County, this two and one-half story frame gristmill sits on a stone foundation beneath a gable roof with a decorative barge board. It was powered first by a wooden overshot wheel, replaced in the 1850s by an 11-foot steel wheel made by the Fitz Foundry in Hanover, Pennsylvania. The mill served farmers in the Hopewell Center and Cross Roads areas and was used to grind grain for feed, corn meal and buckwheat. Ownership stayed within the Wallace family until 1895, when it passed to the J. Nelson Cross family. The mill is regarded as unusual because it remains much as it was in the 1800s, retaining much of its original machinery, including a working calico-brand stone, a transporting screw, a hand separator and a corn cob breaker. It is now used by local schools and York County Parks for education.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the mill is significant as one of several mills on Rambo Creek that served the surrounding rural area, and as a gristmill that has remained largely as it was in the 1800s. Its operation within the Wallace family and later the Cross family, and its retained machinery, are cited as the basis for its importance under industry.
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 77001204, listed December 22, 1977. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | S of Felton, Felton |
|---|---|
| County | York County |
| Listed | December 22, 1977 |
| Reference number | 77001204 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1840 |
| Architect / builder | Alexander Wallace |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Industry, Agriculture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Still used occasionally; today used as an educational resource for local schools and the York County Parks; somewhat deteriorated, with clapboard walls shifted and in poor condition. |
| Acreage | 0.5 |
| Coordinates | 39.79942, -76.54046 (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 77001204.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7962720
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.