Centre Mills Antique Floors has been in the business of rescuing wood from old American structures destined for demolition for almost a quarter of a century.
The small crossroads of Centre Mills, Pennsylvania is nestled in the rolling hills in the heart of South Central PA near the historic town of Gettysburg. John Longanecker, owner of Centre Mills Antique Floors, uses the old gristmill in Centre Mills, built in 1841, as a storage facility. The wood he saves comes from the unique barns, houses, mills and outbuildings built by the early PA settlers in the 18th and 19th centuries. Pioneers used the wood that was on the site to build their structures, allowing Longanecker to rescue a unique collection of oak, pine, chestnut and fir. Previously the wood was felled, cut, worked, and hewn by hand. Longanecker has learned to appreciate and marvel at the mastery and the ingenuity of the early American builder.
