Bentzel’s Mill

George Ilgenfritz built the first mill here sometime before he sold it to his son Martin in 1809. The Ilgenfritz mill was constructed of stone two stories high.

David Bentzel bought the property in 1824. In 1831, he built a new 3.5 story mill, the current structure. The mill produced flour and feed. A covered bridge across the creek in front of the mill was constructed in 1859. David’s son Edward took over after him. Edward upgraded the mill from stones to roller mills around the turn of the century. Peter Elsesser was the last to operate the mill. Operations ended in 1930.

The state bypassed the covered bridge with a new concrete bridge in the 1950s. The Bentzel mill bridge remained as the last, single-span covered bridge in the county. The bridge was finally destroyed by Hurricane Agnes in 1972.

10 Bentzel Mill Rd, York, PA