With a key piece of its agricultural and industrial heritage now in place, officials at Renfrew Museum and Park are kicking off Phase II of its campaign, “Get the Mill Moving.”
A dedication reception was held May 9 to celebrate the addition of the representative grist mill to Renfrew’s collection of historic structures and to thank staff, volunteers, contractors and other supporters of the reconstruction project. The festivities marking the completion of Phase I also included a ribbon cutting ceremony open to the public May 10.
A special thank you was offered to James Luty for his $2.5 million donation to the project. “His vision will further Renfrew’s mission of historical preservation, interpretation and education while cultivating inspiration for the future,” according to a plaque in recognition of his support presented by Laurie Hovermale, president of Renfrew Committee Inc., and added to a wall of the mill.
“We’re excited that this is coming to fruition,” noted Ashley Sonntag-Bottomley, executive director and CEO at Renfrew. “Without Jim, we wouldn’t have this beautiful building.”
The project also was funded by a $1 million bridge loan from Patriot Federal Credit Union and a $1 million Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program grant awarded through the Pennsylvania Office of the Budget. Ground was broken in April 2023 for the project, which was originally estimated at $2.2 million to complete and increased to $5 million following the COVID-19 Pandemic.
An estimated $1.5 million is needed to complete Phase II, consisting of building and installing the inner workings of the mill. This includes the fabrication and installation of the custom millworks, pump, flywheel engineering, control systems, interpretative panels and archeological exhibits.
“We can now begin tours in this space, and we’re going to be hitting the pavement pretty hard to ask for help,” added Sonntag-Bottomley. “We hope you’re all a part of this journey with us.”
Remarks also were offered by Dade Royer, former president of Renfrew’s board, who noted the addition of a grist mill has long been part of Renfrew’s strategic plan.
The three-story structure is a representation of the historic 1807 Royer Mill building and not an exact reproduction.
The Royer gristmill, built by Pennsylvania German tanner Daniel Royer of stone, brick and wood, was originally located at the southern end of the farmstead on the west bank of Little Antietam Creek. It operated as a mill until the 1870s when Royer’s grandson, A.J. Fahnestock, tried unsuccessfully to turn the building into a creamery when many area farms were making the switch to commercial dairy production. Razed by the subsequent owner, Dr. Abraham Strickler, in the early 20th century, the old mill is now a stone ruin, measuring approximately 50 feet by 50 feet.
To donate, readers may visit www.renfrewmuseum.org/mill or call 717-762-4723.
