When you have the 2-century-old mill that dates its history back to 1799, and there is the waterfall that drops from a scenic gorge, and then add the iconic 1849 covered bridge over the waterfall, what else could you ask for inside the Stebelton Rock Mill public park?
History of the Rock Mill
- 1799 – The original building was built by Joseph Loveland and Hezikiah Smith
- 1820 – The building collapsed and fell into the gorge
- 1820 – James Brook built a new one
- 1822 – The new mill was destroyed by flood
- 1824 – The new owner, Christian Morehart, built another one
- 1859 – Christian Morehart died. The mill was passed to new owners.
- 1899 – The remodeled mill resulted in the installation of a water turbine
- 1901 – The power source was changed to steam. The mill was in operation grinding flour and corn into wheat and meal as late as 1905
- 1928 – W W Alspaugh, the grandson of Christian Morehart was listed as owner
- 1994 – Stebelton bought the property from Alspach and the restoration started
- 2003 – The property was donated to the Fairfield County Parks and a labor-intensive restoration took place
- 2012 – The 26′-diameter all-wood waterwheel was installed
- 2017 – The Rock Mill came back to life
Rock Mill Waterfall
The Rock Mill Falls is located within the Stebelton Rock Mill Park. Entrance to the park is only few meters away from the mill. The park is quite small at 4+ acres. But its waterfall is a great attraction. Unfortunately, there are no hiking trails at this location.
To go down to the bottom of the waterfall and see the gorge closer, follow the direction from the mill to the sloping trail.
The waterfall has a height of 10 feet and a crest of 8 feet.
Where is the mill and waterfall located?
1429 Rockmill Pl NW
Lancaster, OH 43130
Click this link for Google Map direction.
Is the mill building open to the public?
Yes, it is. From May through October, on Saturdays and Sundays from 12:00-4:00 p.m., the Rock Mill building is open for tours and, on the last Sunday of each month, there are grinding demonstrations.
Where to park?
Parking is available along Rock Mill Place.
Is it kid-friendly?
The park is kid-friendly. For safety reasons, there are parts of the park where access is prohibited for everyone, especially those sections near the gorge.
