Conewago Creek Watershed - Mills of York County

The name Conewago is a Lenape word meaning “at the rapids” or possibly “long reach”. The Conewago watershed drains 515 square miles including parts of Maryland and Pennsylvania. The Conewago originates in Franklin Township, Adams County and flows across York County until it joins the Susquehanna at York Haven.

The mills are listed in order of water flow.

Conewago Main Branch

Name	AKA	Disposition	Built	Structure	Type
Eisenhart’s View	Washington Mills	Residence	c1755	3.5-story Stone/Frame	Flour, Grist, Saw, Cider
Ort’s View	Bigmount Mill	Apartments	1783	2.5-story Stone	Flour, Grist
Detter’s View	Emig’s	Apartments	c1770	2.5-story Stone	Flour, Grist, Saw
Kunkle’s		Site	c1820	Stone/Frame	Flour, Grist
Hykes View	Bear’s/Clines	Abandoned	c1788	3.5-story Stone	Flour, Grist, Saw

Conewago South Branch

The South Branch of the Conewago Creek originates in Carroll County Maryland and flows north into West Manheim Township, York County where it becomes the basis for the Sheppard-Meyers Reservoir. From there it flows north-west into Adams County where it joins the main branch in Mount Pleasant Township.

Name	AKA	Disposition	Built	Water Source	Type
Nace’s Mill		Site	c1774	Conewago SB	Flour, Grist, Saw, Distillery
Leppo’s Mill	Sherretz Mill	Site	c1775	Conewago SB	Grist
Gobrecht’s Mill	Beck’s Mill	Site	1809	Conewago SB	Grist
Utz Mill	Bachman’s	Site	c1830	Long Arm Creek	Grist, Cider
Wentz’s Mill	Bear’s	Submerged	c1773	Long Arm Creek	Grist, Saw, Hominy

Beaver Creek (West)

There are three Beaver Creeks in York County. Two of them are tributaries of the Conewago Creek. The third is flows into the southern Fishing Creek. The western Beaver Creek forms the western border of Paradise Township which is also the boundary between York and Adams counties.

Name	AKA	Disposition	Built	Water Source	Type
Gobrecht’s Mill	Hollinger’s Mill	Workshop	c1860	Beaver Creek (W)	Grist, Cider
Noel’s Mill		Site	c1850	Trib 08766	Grist, Saw
Brand’s Mill		Site	c1790	Trib 08766	Grist, Saw
Jacob’s Factory	Jacobs Mill	Site	1773	Beaver Creek (W)	Grist, Clover, Hemp, Carding
Beaver Creek Mill	Swigart’s Mill	Preserved	1794	Beaver Creek (W)	Flour, Grist, Saw

Bermudian Creek

The Bermudian Creek begins in Washington Township and flows eastward until it joins the Conewago. The origin of the name is unknown.

Name	AKA	Disposition	Built	Type	Water Source
Hoopes’ Mill	Krall Mill	Site	1793	Grist	Bermudian Creek
Baker’s Mill		Residence	1830	Grist, Saw, Clover, Fulling, Carding	Bermudian Creek
Christian Myers’ Mill	Iron Rock Mill	Site	c1837	Flour, Saw, Cider	Bermudian Creek
Trimmer’s Mill	Jacob Eisenhart’s Mill	Site	c17676	Flour, Grist, Saw	Bermudian Creek

Bermudian Creek (North Branch)

The North Branch of the Bermudian Creek begins in Franklin County just south of Dillsburg. It flows more or less south-east until it joins the main branch in Washington Township.

Name	AKA	Disposition	Built	Type	Water Source
Clear Spring Mill	Dick’s Mill	Preserved	1886	Flour, Grist, Saw	Clear Spring Run
Hummer’s Mill	Wolford’s, Locust	Site	c1804	Grist, Saw, Distillery	N Branch Bermudian Creek
Stouffer’s Mill		Site	1857	Grist, Saw	N Branch Bermudian Creek
Levi Myers’	Farence, Fulweilers, Big Dam	Site	c1792	Grist, Saw	N Branch Bermudian Creek
Bentz’s Mill	Pressel	Residence	c1825	Grist, Saw, Clover	N Branch Bermudian Creek

Beaver Creek (North)

The northern Beaver Creek begins in Warrington Township and travels southeastward until it becomes the basis for Pinchot Lake. It exits Pinchot Lake and continues flowing eastward until it joins the Conewago Creek.

Name	AKA	Disposition	Built	Type	Water Source
A. Hoopes’ Mill		Site	Unknown	Grist	Beaver Creek (N)
Thunder Gust Mill		Site	c1820	Grist, Saw	Beaver Creek (N)
Kerckhart’s Mill		Site	1781	Grist, Saw	Stony Run

Bennett Run

Bennett Run begins in Fairview Township north of Lewisberry and flows southeast across Newberry Township until it joins the Conewago. The creek is named after Joseph Bennett, an early settler of Lewisberry.

Name	AKA	Disposition	Built	Type	Water Source
Cline’s Mill	Kauffman’s/Silver Lake	Residence	1785	Flour, Grist, Saw	Bennett Run
Rockey’s Mill	Frazer/Miller’s	Site	c1874	Grist, Saw	Bennett Run
Kise Mill	Wilt’s Mill	Site	c1821	Grist, Saw	Bennett Run
Crull’s Mill		Site		Grist	Bennett Run
Rife’s Mill		Site	c1820	Grist	Bennett Run

Little Conewago Creek

The Little Conewago begins in Jackson Township and flows northeast. It joins the main branch north of Manchester Borough.

Name	AKA	Disposition	Built	Type	Water Source
Absolem Menges		Site		Grist, Saw	Paradise Creek
Daniel Spangler’s	Spangler’s	Site	c1829	Grist	Little Conewago Creek
Deardorff’s	John Appleman	Site	c1762	Grist	Little Conewago Creek
Biesecker’s	Gross/EisenHart’s	Business	1843	Flour, Grist	Little Conewago Creek
Emig’s	Thomasville Mill	Residence	1775	Flour, Grist	Little Conewago Creek
Neiman’s	Weigle	Business	1770	Flour, Grist	Little Conewago Creek
Shettle’s	George Meisenhelder’s	Site	c1841	Grist	Little Conewago Creek
Meisenhelder’s	Wintermeyer	Site	c1818	Grist	Fox Run
Bentzel’s	Ilgenfritz	Business	1831	Flour, Grist	Little Conewago Creek
Anderson’s	King’s/Levi Hake	Site	1863	Flour, Grist	Little Conewago Creek
Peter Kunkle’s	Harry Kochenour	Site	c1866	Grist, Saw	Locust Run
Old Mill Inn	Frye’s/Meisenhelter’s	Apartments	1816	Flour, Grist	Little Conewago Creek
Conley’s	Philip Becker	Site	1748	Flour, Grist, Saw	Little Conewago Creek
Kline’s	Starr	Site	c1792	Flour, Grist, Saw	Little Conewago Creek