Mill Creek flows north into the Mahoning River in Youngstown Ohio. The creek cascades down a rocky ledge to create a beautiful waterfall. Next to the falls is the historic Lanterman’s Mill. It is an impressive structure built in 1845 by German Lanterman and his brother-in-law Samuel Kimberly. The mill was originally powered by a large wheel but converted to a turbine for water to pass through. It processed grain from local farms using three different grinding stones. By the 1890s, roller mills were a more economical means of grinding grain, and the Lanterman Mill shut down its operations. In 1891, Youngstown attorney Volney Rogers purchased large tracts of land along Mill Creek.
After acquiring land from more than ninety land owners, Rogers had the land declared as a park by the state legislature. The Mill Creek Park was officially opened in 1893. The old mill was used as a facility for the new park. It had a bathhouse, concession stand and a ballroom. During the winter months, it was used for storage. In the 1930s, the first floor was converted into a nature museum. Visitors could look at the many mounted birds and animals on display along with other exhibits.
In the 1980s, the mill was restored back to its original use as a grain mill. The interior beams were repaired or replaced, and the exterior was given a facelift and new windows. The original equipment was gone, but new grinding stones and replica machinery was constructed and installed. A new observation deck was added to the outside for visitors to view the creek and falls. The building is now operating as it did over a century ago and is a gem in Mill Creek Metropark. If you visit, the parking lot for the mill can be found off E. Park Drive a few hundred yards north of State Route 62.
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