Olde Fashioned Christmas at The Mill
Mill Creek Park is Youngstown’s crown jewel. The result of a forward thinking Volney Rogers who helped the park become established in 1891, Mill Creek Metropolitan Park District encompasses 2,600 acres within urbanized Mahoning County. Including 20 miles of drives and 15 miles of foot trails, Mill Creek also boasts a rare collection of gardens, lakes for canoeing, and woodlands to explore. Though the park has much to offer year-round, at the end of November one special location, Lanterman’s Mill, pulls out all the stops as it welcomes the holiday season to the Valley.
Lanterman’s Mill is considered one of Mahoning County’s most historic landmarks. The present mill (and all mills that came before it) built in 1845-1846 by German Lanterman and Samuel Kimberly is located at Lanterman’s Falls. The Mill was restored from 1982 to 1985 through a gift from the Ward and Florence Beecher Foundation. However, there were a few mills at this location prior to the one standing today.
John Young, the founder of Youngstown, once owned the land surrounding Lanterman’s Falls. He sold 300 acres that included the falls to Phineas Hill at the end of the 18th century with the stipulation a saw and grist mill be built at the site of the Falls within 18 months of purchase. This mill which operated from 1799 to 1822 was built from logs found on-site and millstones were cut from granite in the area.
In 1823, Eli Baldwin built a mill to replace this original, with this gristmill operating up until 1843 when a flood destroyed the structure. It is interesting to note a grinding stone from this 1823 mill can still be seen in the creek bed 500 feet down stream from the Falls.
The current mill was built two years after the flood and though quite success for many years, it closed in 1888. The Mill then stood dormant and deteriorating until 1892 when Mill Creek Park bought the structure.
The Park used Lanterman’s Mill as a ballroom and bath house for those who came to swim in the Pool of Shadows by the Mill. Then in 1933 the lower floor of the Mill was turned into a nature museum and later in 1972 it became the Park’s historical museum. Lanterman’s Mill earned it place on the National Register of Historic Places in 1976.
Once funding was secure and the research was done, the work began to restore Lanterman’s Mill to its present state – a fantastic reminder of our area’s pioneer ingenuity. The Mill operates today as it did in the 1800s – grinding corn, wheat and buckwheat.
With so much history and such a loyal following of those who appreciate what Lanterman’s Mill represents, during the last weekend in November, the Mill welcomes all to come for a visit and take a walk back in time. Whether one has a hankering for real roasted chestnuts or simply wants to witness the majesty of this working mill, Lanterman’s Mill is the place to be Saturday, November 29 and Sunday, November 30.
Come take a trip back in time and witness what Mill Creek Park has to offer and why so many in the Mahoning Valley love to call the area “home.”
For more information about Olde Fashioned Christmas at the Mill contact the Ford Nature Center of Mill Creek Park at 330-740-7107. Lanterman’s Mill is located at 980 Canfield Road, Youngstown, OH 44511-2368
Olde Fashioned Christmas at the Mill
November 29 & 30, 2008
Saturday & Sunday, 11 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Saturday, November 29, 2008
- 11 a.m. – 5 p.m.–Victorian Christmas Display
- 11 a.m. – 5 p.m.–Tytely Wounde Stryng Band, Folk Music
- 11 a.m. -12:30 p.m.–Kirk Kupensky, Harpist
- Noon – 2 p.m.–Bob Spisak, Juggler
- 12:30 – 2:30 p.m.–Mark Pringle, Bagpiper
- 1 – 3:30 p.m.–Jon Mosey, Folk Music
- 2:30 – 4:30 p.m.–Joe Sullivan, Balloon Art
Sunday, November 30, 2008
- 11 a.m. – 5 p.m.–Victorian Christmas Display
- 11 a.m. – 5 p.m.–Tytely Wounde Stryng Band, Folk Music
- 11:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.–Crossties Duo, Folk Music
- Noon – 2 p.m.–Bob Spisak, Juggler
- 12:30 – 2:30 p.m.–Mark Pringle, Bagpiper
- 2:30 – 4:30 p.m.–Joe Sullivan, Balloon Art
- 3 – 4:30 p.m.–Kirk Kupensky, Harpist
