Lanterman’s Mill, Youngstown Ohio
Road Trip Through Ohio
Youngstown, Ohio now one of the most underappreciated tourist destinations in the US and if you’re an avid roadtripper a must see Ohio landmark.
Lanterman’s Mill was built in 1845 and still operates today, grinding wheat, corn, and buckwheat. However, it was restored 140 years after it was built by a generous donation and included an iconic covered bridge that brings a piece of the past to life.
Address & Phone
Lanterman’s Mill
1001 Canfield Rd. (SR 62)
Youngstown, OH 44511
GPS Coordinates: 41.066806, -80.682140
Phone: 330.740.7115
Hours & Pricing
Seasonal Hours
April & November/Saturday & Sunday only, Noon – 4 PM
May through October/Tuesday – Sunday, 10 AM – 5 PM;
Closed Monday
Closed Holidays
You can still visit the area and see the mill and bridge during closing hours and holidays. The Gorge trail is also open all year. The hours and admission prices refer to the Mill itself and the museum.
Admission
Children under 6: free
Students 6 – 18: $.75
Seniors 60+: $.75
Mahoning County Resident: $1.00
Non-Resident: $2.00
Gorge Trail
Gorge Trail is a two-mile loop along the river that starts at the Youngstown Lanterman’s Mill. It follows the river and showcases the areas geological features. A cliff guilds the trail all the way around.
Lanterman’s Mill History
The land was originally owned by John Young, one of the founders of Youngstown and it’s names sake. Two surveyors were exploring the area and realized the potential the waterfall had for a mill. However, in 1843 a flood washed the mill away, 500 feet downstream one of the original mill stones can be seen still in the river.
Afterward, the Pool of Shadows continued to be a local swimming hole while the surrounding buildings fell into disrepair. Nevertheless, the city hired a renovator and restoration company to rebuild the site back to as close to original as possible including the water wheel.
The website offers a brief history and tour information. There weren’t any historical documents or blueprints of the original mill before it was washed away. As a result, Archaeologist Dr. John White, professor of anthropology at Youngstown State University, organized a dig site, and found valuable artifacts and the raceway location, which proved there was a water wheel when it was first used in the 1800’s.
Funding
Damascus based Lorin Cameron and his sons were chosen to tackle the project. Their work restoring the Gaston’s Mill in Beaver Creek State Park, as well as the Garrett’s Mill in Garrettsville, Ohio impressed the foundation. They were the perfect match for the restoration of such an important site, their commission was a no-brainer.
After that, the next domino to get the restoration project going was funding. The Florence and Ward Beecher Foundations made a donation of $600,000 to the Mill Creek Park Foundation.
Restoration
The Cameron’s Damascus workshop was were many of the artifacts were built. They had crafted the majority of the fittings, elevator shafts, and housing; what couldn’t be built, like the antique machinery was purchased.
The custom hand made wheel is stunning and historically accurate built by the Cameron’s offsite, deconstructed, transported and then rebuild on site. It was as close to the original water wheel as could be created based on what the archeologic team discovered down river. They did a wonderful job recreating the history and authenticity of such a unique site.
In 1976 the Mill was listed on the US National Register of Historic Places.
In conclusion, Lanterman’s Mill was one location I just had to see for myself.
TripAdvisor has many reviews and if you have any questions feel free to ask. I would love to help.
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24 Comments
Paolo
Youngstown was traditionally known as a center of steel production. It was forced to redefine itself when the U.S. steel industry fell into a decline in the 1970s, leaving communities throughout the region without major industry. Concerning tourist industry, they have aractions they could really profit from. I would like to mention a few top attractions to visit in Youngstow:
As you mentioned here, Lanterman’s Mill
Fellows Riverside Gardens
The Butler Institute of American Art
Mr. Darby’s Antique & Collectible Emporium
and Covelli Centre
NJKuhr
Absolutely, I was really happy I took the detour and went to Youngstown, it was one site I wish I had had more time to explore.
Stratos K
This looks like an amazing place to visit. I guess there are so many similar places that we don’t even know about that it’s a real shame as there is so much history behind them to learn and discover. Thank you for bringing this to my attention. It brought the little explorer out of me once again!
NJKuhr
i’m glad I could inspire you to get out and explore more. Youngstown is easily overlooked but it quite charming and a little piece of American history that still feels like you’ve stepped back in time.
Geoff
The mill and the surrounding area looks absolutely beautiful. I am always excited by the background stories to these sites as they fascinate me. I always think if the early workers could see me standing here as a tourist, they just wouldn’t be able to take it in.
The mill looks huge, so there must be lots to see. Do they do tours or do you just walk around on your own? It is so cheap to visit too. So it would be well worth a visit even if you only had a few minutes to spare.
But does it have a cafe? Lol.
Thanks for sharing.
NJKuhr
You can visit for free and wander around but the tours and museum require entrance fees. There’s a link to the tickets on the blog so you can see what seasonal prices and hours are.
Aly
Wow, this location is so striking and beautiful! I love a good road trip and often the smaller places along the route become some of the most memorable things about a trip. Very good to know that Mill Creek Park is closed on Mondays so that I can make sure I am in the area at another time of the week. Thanks for sharing what looks to be a great excuse to take a drive through Ohio!
NJKuhr
You can still walk around and hike the trail on Mondays but the mill itself and the museum is closed. I should make an adjustment on the site so people know that. Thanks for pointing that out.
Jenni Elliott
Thank you for your article about Lanterman’s Mill in Youngstown, Ohio. My husband and I love discovering history and will add this to our list of places to visit. I was fascinated to learn of how the Mill was reconstructed and restored. So much of our history is being torn down, so it is really great to find places that still believe in their history.
NJKuhr
I couldn’t agree more. I’m glad I took the detour, and found out about this amazing restoration family that works in Ohio. I didn’t have time to visit their other sites but now I have another excuse to go back to Ohio.
Cogito
Hi Norma. Thank you for this great post. With so much trouble with traveling these days, its very refreshing to see beautiful places worth visit. To be fair I have not heard before about Youngstown but looking on your pictures this is place I definitely want to see. It looks as a great combination of wildlife and human creations from the past. And what also important it doesn’t seems as typical tourist attraction, so I hope there will be no crowds and overwhelming commerce. Looking forward to visit it in near future.
NJKuhr
I had the entire place to myself but with Covid closures and it being winter at the time. I’d suggest visiting during a weekday in the mornings if you want to avoid the crowds. The museum and going inside the mill itself isn’t open without admission but you can still see the buildings and covered bridge as well as walk the gorge trail even if the museum isn’t open.
Dozzy
This is a very beautiful place, I don’t even know places like this exist. This is my first time hearing or even seeing this kind of place. I hope to visit this place when we finished fighting with Covid 19. It looks like it will be a lovely and wonderful place to be.
NJKuhr
It was. I really enjoyed the peace and nostalgia. During the summer months it would be fun but I had the whole place to myself and I’m glad I got to see it when everything was frozen.
Kwidzin
Amazing! I absolutely love this sort of stuff. The Mill remind me a little of New Lanark in Scotland which is near where i live. Unfortunately I’m at the wrong side of the Ocean for the places and trips here, but I’ll certainly be bookmarking this site as it looks like a lot of very interesting stuff that I’d like to read about and perhaps one day actually make it over the pond to visit them. Thanks!
NJKuhr
Absolutely, If I ever make it over there I’ll have to ask you where you think I should go. The US is amazing and there’s so much here. If you need help narrowing it down to something manageable let me know. I’d love to help.
Lakisha Akbar
Lanterman’s Mill is very beautiful. I love the scenery. The water, the snow, and the historical building it all looks lovely. I’ve never been to Ohio but, after seeing how this Mill and Museum looks. I wouldn’t mind taking a road trip there. I must say the admission prices are very affordable. I haven’t seen prices like that in years.
By the way do you know why the pool was called pool of shadows? Is there history about the pool? Or is that just the name the pool goes by? Either way, thank you for sharing Lanterman’s Mill.
NJKuhr
You’re very welcome. As far as I know the name of the pool is just a local nickname. The admission prices surprised me too. Actually, Ohio itself surprised me. It was never a state that was high on my list but I was going to be in the area anyway so I looked around. Now, I need to do another trip. There’s a lot of amazing locations in that state. perfect for a road trip.
Jas
It’s very interesting that this mill and the nature that surrounds it. I believe the job is prettier in person, just calling the visitors. It’s wonderful that there are still people who want to make an effort to preserve these objects because they speak best to our history. He deservedly paid for the historic place! Many wonderful journeys I wish you!
NJKuhr
Thank you. I agree. These guys deserve a lot more attention. It was a wonderful job and something I wish I’d known about before I was there. I didn’t have time to visit all their sites but now I have an excuse to visit again.
Aparna
NJK,
Thanks for this great option in Ohio. I was looking for a place to stay for my road trip with my family. I got all the information that I need. It’s so wonderful to see people like you write for the benefit of travellers.
may I say that you are really pretty. Loved your pic.
Stay happy and keep writing.
Regards,
Aps
NJKuhr
Aww, that’s so sweet. thank you. I’m a big traveler but sometimes there’s not enough information and I make mistakes or miss out. I started Dashboard so that I could help others avoid the blunders i made.
Kokontala
Hi, I’ve just gone through your post about road trips. I find it very informative and interesting as it unfolds details about places of history and tourism, Ohio and Gorge Trail, places I have never heard about. I also did not know that this place was restored. I’m truly pleased to have come across this article as I’ve learned so much from it. Believe me, I am going to share this helpful and interesting information with my former college History lecturer. Thank you again for sharing such important information with us.
NJKuhr
That would be great. Youngstown has struggled and is one of the hardest hit towns in the US. It could use a lot of attention and help boosting it’s tourist industry.