As Lancaster County's history was evolving, dozens of water-powered, grain-grinding mills dotted the local landscape. Few are left standing, much less still operating, except for maybe one - Mascot Roller Mills.

That's what makes Mascot Roller Mills and the Ressler Family Home unique and so intriguing as an attraction. The historic site whisks visitors away to a time 300 years ago when mills supported communities, provided a places for residents to gather and socialize and ground their crops into food.

"I really think we sometimes believe that where we are is created out of our own making," said James Landis, executive director of the Ressler Mills Foundation, which owns and operates Mascot Roller Mills and the Ressler Family Home. "There is wisdom in the past, and if we can tap into that, we might be able to understand where we're going and who we are."

"I think the question is, 'Are we open to experiencing history?'" continued Landis. "There has been history lost here. We're surrounded by history that's a mystery. I like to think about all the families who lived here."

As far as Lancaster County attractions go - for both local and out-of-town history buffs - the site of Mascot Roller Mills and the Ressler Family Home, located at 2280 Stumptown Road, Ronks, is somewhat of a hidden gem. The attraction offers a 30-minute guided tour of the mill and a 30-minute guided tour of the homestead where the mill's three generations of operators lived. Both are free and open Tuesdays through Saturdays, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., from May 1 to Oct. 26 this year.

The attraction is recognized as a National Historic Site.

"It was not unique in the day, and there are other mills in the county," said Landis. "What's unique about this mill is that the Ressler family, through wise investments, had the funds to set up a foundation."

Situated on 40 acres at the intersection of Stumptown Road and Newport Road, the 1700s-era Mascot Roller Mills and the Ressler Family Home are the only two of the eight buildings on the property that are open to the public. A dozen paid part-time staff members, including tour guides, cater to about 3,000 visitors each season.

"It's people from all over the world, typically tourists, but some locals," said Landis. "We're hearing local folks say, 'I drive by a lot, but I never visited.' Engineers have a field day here. It's teachers and parents and homeschoolers trying to give their kids a different experience."

For many visitors, the highlight of the Mascot Roller Mills tour is when the large corn and wheat roller grinders are once again brought to life to produce corn meal and flour right before their very eyes.

"When we turn the machines on, it's like, 'Whoa!'" said Landis. "It just comes alive. This is not a static mill."

The history of the Mascot Roller Mills dates back to the 1730s at a time when all the grains refined there were used for local consumption. The Ressler family purchased the property in 1865 and operated the mills until 1977.

Tours of Mascot Roller Mills began in the 1980s. The Ressler Family Home was opened to visitors in 2007.

For additional information about Mascot Roller Mills and the Ressler Family Home, go to http://www.resslermill.org.