Part of the Moravian Church Settlements that were inscribed in 2024 as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Colonial Industrial Quarter is considered one of America’s first industrial parks. Despite the historical significance of the Mill and Miller’s House (the latter an individually listed National Register property), these properties suffered decades of neglect after mill operations ceased in the 1940s. The Mill was repurposed as an auto parts store and its grounds devolved into an unsightly junkyard until cleanup/restoration efforts began in the 1980s. While the Mill was fully restored and converted into a multipurpose space at this time, the Miller’s House remained neglected until the present project. 

Returned to its historic appearance but updated for safety and accessibility, code compliance, and modern utility, the restored Miller’s House is the final jewel in the crown of the revitalized Colonial Industrial Quarter. It has also been retrofitted for a long-anticipated new use: to house a venue for education on colonial trades and crafts in honor of Ralph G. Schwarz, a leading advocate for historic preservation. The Schwarz Center/Miller’s House is now open to the public for the first time in decades, returning this special building to the realm of living history with renewed purpose.