GREENVILLE, Ohio – Not much has changed at the historic Bear's Mill outside of Greenville.

  • Mill opened in 1849 by miller Gabriel Baer
  • French Buhr millstones used to grind 100,000 pounds of flour every year
  • Free admission to visit

The front door to the 171-year-old mill is only a few steps away from Acranum-Bears Mill Road, five miles east of Greenville in Darke County.

It's 35 acres of woods, water, and a building that has stood the test of time.

The Friends of Bear's Mill owns the property, tasked with preserving the history and legacy of the flour mill.

Terry Clark bought the mill in the 1970's after driving by the old building and seeing a for sale sign. He and his wife have spent the last 40 years at the mill – with help of The Friends.

“It just looked like an interesting building to save,” Clark told Spectrum News 1 from the 2nd floor of the mill. “I am the master miller here at Bear's Mill.”

Clark grinds grain into flour almost every day. The mill produces about 100,000 pounds of flour for nearby restaurants and bakeries. 30 years ago, according to Clark, he used to make about 500,000 pounds of flour for a Springfield customer whose primary client was McDonald's.

“What I try to do is feed a constant feed of grain into the buhrstone to have a good, wholesome product. Feed it to slow the two stones touch, overheats, kills the vitamins and minerals, a burnt smell comes up and out of the stone. Hence the phrase, 'keep your nose to the grindstone.'”

The mill produces flour, buckwheat, spelt and other items. Some is used for product's sold in the mill's gift store.

Built in 1849 by Pennsylvania miller Gabriel Baer, most of the technique and original French Buhr millstones are still used today. The historic roller mills are no longer used because the end product often lacks minerals and nutrients.

The mill closed once in the late 1800's.

“In 1862 they closed the mill. They were afraid the Confederates were going to burn it down. So, they posted guards and, of course, the mill was saved.”

A wood stove fire also nearly destroyed the mill, but the worse was some darkened timber beams that got hot.

In addition to the mill, the 35-acre property features a wooden-covered bridge, an old barn, and the millrace – which extends from Greenville Creek and provides power to the mill.

The millrace was built by schoolchildren in 1847 and 1848 for 50 cents per day. It's 800 feet long, 25 feet wide, and ten feet deep.

The mill still features the original chutes that carry grain and flour throughout the four floors. Magnets strategically placed in the chutes help remove metal objects that inadvertently fall into the grain.

On the list of the National Historical Registry, it's one of the last water-powered mills in Ohio and welcomes approximately 60,000 visitors each year.

There is no cost to visit the mill and it regularly hosts events and artistic displays in its first floor gallery.

Bear's Mill is located at 6450 Arcanum-Bears Mill Road in Greenville. It's open year-round from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays and 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Sundays.