Hanger Mill
Also known as: Huff Mill; DHR File No. 07-1211
Why it's listed
Hanger Mill is a gristmill east of Churchville in Augusta County, Virginia, built around 1860 for Jacob Hanger. It is a 2 1/2-story frame building with weatherboard siding, a metal gable roof and a coursed limestone foundation. Water from Jennings Branch once drove a wooden overshot wheel, replaced in the 1920s by the metal wheel that remains. Inside, much of the original framing and floors survive, along with a large share of the machinery. It includes a millstone system with grist wheels, one inscribed with Hanger's name and the date 1861, and a roller press system on the upper floors. The 1860 census listed it as a merchant mill, grinding wheat, corn and rye for sale. Later owners kept it running until 1940. The nomination notes that Augusta County once had eighty-one mills after the Civil War and that fewer than twenty remain, most stripped of machinery. The mill is used for storage today, and four newer or altered outbuildings do not contribute to the listing.
Significance in brief: The nomination presents the mill as an excellent original example of mid-nineteenth-century mill construction that keeps most of its milling machinery. Augusta County had eighty-one mills after the Civil War, and fewer than twenty stand today, most with much of their machinery lost. The mill also stayed in the Hanger family line and operated commercially until 1940.
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 91001596, listed November 8, 1991. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Jct. of VA 801 and US 250, Churchville |
|---|---|
| County | Augusta County |
| Listed | November 8, 1991 |
| Reference number | 91001596 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1860-1940 |
| Architect / builder | Unknown builder; built for Jacob Hanger |
| Architectural style | No style |
| Areas of significance | Industry, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | The mill has not operated since the early twentieth century (milling ended in 1940) and is currently used for storage only. The machinery remains in very good condition. |
| Acreage | 7.5 |
| Coordinates | 38.21949, -79.13571 (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 91001596.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q14712456
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.