The Web of Interdependence: Technology & the Merchant Miller

The Web of Interdependence: Technology & the Merchant Miller

In the 19th century, no industry stood alone. A new plow in a farmer’s field changed how wheat was grown, which altered how a miller ground grain, which in turn shaped how a baker made bread. This intricate chain of cause and effect—technology, labor, power, and place working together—created what can rightly be called a Golden Age for Lancaster County’s merchant millers.

The February installment of the Historic Preservation Trust of Lancaster County Speaker Series explores that web of interdependence through the story of one remarkable family and one enduring place: the Resslers of Mascot.

Event Details

Date: Wednesday, February 11, 2026
Time: Doors open at 6:00 PM; presentation begins at 6:30 PM
Location: Sehner-Ellicott-von Hess House
123 North Prince Street, Lancaster, PA
Admission: By donation
Seating: Limited to 40 attendees — registration strongly encouraged

Register Below

About the Program

The Web of Interdependence: Technology & the Merchant Miller examines how innovations in agriculture, water power, and transportation shaped rural life—and how those forces converged at one of Lancaster County’s most extraordinary surviving mills. Focusing on the Ressler family and their long stewardship of Mascot, this talk brings to life a period when mills were not just industrial sites, but economic engines and social hubs.

From water wheels and roller milling to railroads, banking, and rural commerce, the program traces how technological change rippled outward, transforming families, communities, and landscapes across eastern Lancaster County.

Speaker

The presentation will be given by James Landis, Executive Director of the Ressler Mill Foundation. James brings deep local knowledge and a storyteller’s eye to this exploration of industry, innovation, and community life.

A Living Landmark: Mascot Roller Mills

Along the banks of scenic Mill Creek in Upper Leacock Township stands Mascot Roller Mills, also known as Ressler’s Mill. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, it is one of only two working water-powered grist mills remaining in Lancaster County—and among the most complete survivals of its kind anywhere in Pennsylvania.

A mill has operated on this site since around 1738, when Pennsylvania was still a British colony and George Washington was just six years old. Over the centuries, the mill evolved alongside changing technologies and ownership. The original structure was likely erected by Jacob Bear in the mid-1730s, expanded to its current height during Daniel Groff’s ownership in the mid-19th century, and purchased in 1865 by William Ressler, beginning three generations of family stewardship.

At Mascot, farmers brought wheat, corn, and feed grain not only to be milled, but to exchange news, post mail, read newspapers, and catch up with neighbors. Under Jacob Ressler, the mill even served as an informal bank—an extension of trust that later carried Ressler family members into professional banking careers.

The mill and its adjoining home became the heart of a village that took its name—Mascot—from a Broadway stage show seen by Jacob and Annie Ressler on their honeymoon. For decades, the Resslers quietly embodied the idea that industry carried responsibility. They supported neighbors in hard times, helped fund education, and preserved both mill and home long after such places vanished elsewhere.

Today, thanks to the Ressler Mill Foundation, visitors are invited to step back into that world. The mill and family home are open for tours Tuesday through Saturday, 10:00 AM–4:00 PM, May through October, with free admission.

Join Us

This February Speaker Series program offers more than a history of a mill—it reveals how technology, family enterprise, and community interdependence shaped Lancaster County’s landscape and values. Join us for an evening that connects innovation with everyday life, and shows how one family’s stewardship helped keep the heart of a community beating.