Chiques Creek Watershed

This is a listing of water-powered grist mills in the Chiques Creek watershed in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. The watershed includes the Big Chiques Creek, the Little Chiques Creek, Brubaker Run, and the Donegal Creek. The mills in each section are listed in order of the water flow.

Big Chiques Creek

The Chiques Creek is a 31.6-mile-long tributary of the Susquehanna River. It originates near Mount Gretna Heights in Lebanon County, flows through Manheim, and enters the Susquehanna in East Donegal Township, just south of Marietta. The name comes from the Lenape word “Chiquesalunga” which means “place of crayfish”.  An earlier spelling was “Chickies Creek”.

NameAKATwp1stSrc
Mount HopeRapho1780Shearer’s Creek
ElstonvillePenn1789Chiques Creek
White OakPenn1750Chiques Creek
PennPenn1787Chiques Creek
Doe RunPenn1792Manheim Run
Manheim Feed MillManheim Borough1773Chiques Creek
Shoemaker’sRapho1815Rife Run
Lehman’sRapho1760Rife Run
Kauffman’s DistilleryMartin’sRapho1758Chiques Creek
Cassel Stone MillSeller’sPenn1780Chiques Creek
JunctionPenn1807Chiques Creek
Jacob Sherer’s Cider MillRaphoChiques Creek
Sporting HillRapho1814Dellinger’s Run
Shenck’sEast Hempfield1796Chiques Creek
Salunga Mill (Site #1)Samuel ScottRapho1736Chiques Creek
Salunga Mill (Site #2)ChiquesWest Hempfield 1815Chiques Creek
Chickies ValleyBender’sWest Hempfield 1769Chiques Creek
Silver SpringsWest Hempfield 1769Silver Springs Run
John Moore’sRapho1804Chiques Creek
Siegrist’sKeystone Roller Mill/Moore’sWest Hempfield 1730Chiques Creek
NewtownRisser’sRapho1722Chiques Creek
Marietta Roller MillJohnsonEast Donegal1814Chiques Creek

Map of the Chiques Creek

Little Chiques Creek

The Little Chiques Creek is a 20.6-mile-long tributary of the Chiques Creek. It originates in Mount Joy Township just below the Pennsylvania Turnpike. It runs east of the borough of Mount Joy and joins the Chiques Creek about a mile and a quarter from the Susquehanna River.

NameAKATwp1stSrc
Snyder’sMount Joy1800Little Chiques Creek
Hankin’sMcAllister’sMount Joy1824Little Chiques Creek
UnionHeistand’sMount Joy1770Little Chiques Creek
Milton GroveKeener’sRapho1805Little Chiques Creek
Risser’sRoddyMount Joy1721Little Chiques Creek
MadeiraRapho1824Back Run
CaveCoveMount Joy1761Little Chiques Creek
Mount Joy Roller MillMount Joy Borough1824Little Chiques Creek
Stauffer’sEast Donegal1781Little Chiques Creek
AngloRapho1824Little Chiques Creek

Map of the Little Chiques Creek

Brubaker Run

Brubaker Run is a six-mile-long tributary of the Little Chiques Creek. It originates near Mastersonville Road in Rapho Township and meanders south-westward until it joins the Little Chiques where Meadow View Road crosses the creek.

NameAKATwp1stSrc
David Brubaker’sRaphoBrubaker Run
Brubaker’sRapho1780Brubaker Run
Stauffer’sRapho1750Brubaker Run
FausRaphoTrib. of Brubaker Run

Map of Brubaker Run

Donegal Creek

The Donegal Creek is a 6-mile-long tributary of the Chiques Creek. It originates in East Donegal Township and joins the Chiques Creek about a quarter mile from the Susquehanna River. The Donegal Springs Run is a major tributary.

NameAKATwp1stSrc
Nissley’sMount Joy1762Donegal Springs Run
Breneman’sEast Donegal1779Donegal Springs Run
Donegal SpringsEast DonegalDonegal Creek
DonegalMariettaEast Donegal1775Donegal Creek
Share’sDonegalEast Donegal1720Donegal Creek
McCormick’sEast Donegal1864Donegal Creek
Chickies Rolling MillEast Donegal1837Donegal Creek

Map of the Donegal Creek