Stanton’s Mill

As mentioned earlier, the Penn Alps Restaurant is located between two historic structures, the Casselman River Bridge and the Stanton Mill. Let me explain about the historic mill.

Thomas Stanton conveyed water privileges for a grist mill at the site in March 1797 to Jesse Tomlison. In the same year Tomlison built a two story mill behind what is now the Penn Alps restaurant. Portions of the original mill stand today within the right bay of the current three bay structure.

Just before the Civil War the mill was rebuilt and sold back to the Stanton family. In 1888 Eli Stanton removed the buhr stones from the mill and replaced them with eight sets of steel roller mills. One roller mill could do the same work in one hour that a set of stones did in eight hours, but produced flour at a higher temperature.
















In 1900 Eli Stanton enlarged the mill to its present size. After 1900 Stanton's Mill operated as a grist and feed mill until 1977. From 1977-1994 the mill operated as a feed mill only. In 2002 Kentucky miller John Childers entered into an agreement with Penn Alps, Inc. to restore Stanton's Mill as an authentic 1860-1889 stone ground grist mill.

As with most mills, Stanton's Mill has gone through several changes in its mode of power, including an undershot water wheel; two different turbines, one 18 H.P. and one 25 H.P; steam power and finally electric power. Stanton's Mill has currently been modified to operate with a high breastshot water wheel and also electric power.