FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 7, 2009
Contact:
Ohio Cultural Facilities Commission: Jessica Fagan – 614.995.7552; jfagan@culture.ohio.gov
Fairfield County Historical Parks Commission: David Fey – 740.681.7249; director@historicalparks.org
Ohio Cultural Facilities Commission Approves
$150,000 for Rock Mill Project
Columbus, Ohio – The Ohio Cultural Facilities Commission approved $150,000 in a special meeting today for Rock Mill, located in Fairfield County.
Thought to be the largest and oldest surviving mill in Ohio, Rock Mill was erected in 1799 and rebuilt in 1824, after it was destroyed by a flood. Resting between two sandstone cliffs on the upper falls of the Hocking River, the mill was in continuous operation until 1907. The six-story-high mill is now listed on the National Register of Historic Places. State capital funds will be used to restore the north wall of the mill, including replacement of posts and beams, and installation of wood siding and windows. When restoration of the mill is complete, it will be the only one of its kind in the country driven by a 26-foot diameter wooden water wheel.
The Commission approval, coupled with the signing of legal agreements, allows the Fairfield County Historical Parks Commission to be reimbursed on a pro rata basis with funds appropriated in Am. Sub. H.B. 562 of the 127th General Assembly. Fairfield County General Assembly members who voted in favor of the bill include Senator Tim Schaffer and Representative Gerald Stebelton.
The Ohio Cultural Facilities Commission is a state agency that supports economic development, expands educational opportunities, and enhances the quality of life for Ohioans by improving the state’s cultural facilities. Since 1988, the Commission has disbursed more than $400 million in capital funds appropriated by the Legislature and Governor for facility improvement projects at nonprofit theaters, museums, historical sites and publicly owned professional sports venues. The Commission partners with nonprofit groups and local governments on more than 300 projects in 72 of Ohio’s 88 counties. For more information on the Commission, visit www.culture.ohio.gov.
