John Auwarter and his family members gathered with Smithville Town Supervisor John Cammarata, town officials, and guests on September 17 to honor Hansmann's Mills, a business and mill building in Smithville Flats that was destroyed by a fire in 2021. (Photo by Henry Drexler)

SMITHVILLE FLATS — John Auwarter remembers how much pride his grandfather, Frederick Hansmann, took in the Hansmann’s Mills business and the mill building in Smithville Flats.

He remembers working there as a young man for his father and being the one tapped to perform the toughest of duties: chopping ice from under the mill on sub-zero days and working upstairs with hot grain during the blistering summer heat. He was part of all aspects of the mill until he left the business in 1959.

Auwarter, soon to turn 90, is one of the last to recall working at the mill that developed and produced the Hansmann’s Self-Rising Pancake Mix sold in grocery stores throughout the region. His memories intensified on September 17 when he, family members from across the country, town officials, and guests gathered to honor the mill that was destroyed by a fire in 2021.

A program sponsored by the Town and the Smithville Historical Society recounted the mill’s history as well as the life of Frederick Hansmann. The group then gathered near the site of the old mill on the banks of the Genegantslet Creek where the Town Highway Department had installed a privately-funded historic marker.

Smithville Town Supervisor John Cammarata and Mr. Auwarter joined to unveil and dedicate the marker topped with artist Joan Barker’s image of the mill.

The text reads, "Site of Hansmann’s Mills. 1912-1971. Home of Hansmann’s Mills Pancake Flour. Destroyed by fire March 12, 2021. The site was home to other grist mills as early as 1809 until Frederick Hansmann purchased the property in 1912. Hansmann and his wife Meta later developed

and patented the renowned instant pancake flour mix. After Hansmann’s death, the Auwarter family

continued operating the mill until 1970."

The historic marker is one of two in Smithville to commemorate town icons that no longer stand, the second marking the site of the former Tarbell Farms, home of Tarbell Golden Guernsey Milk.

-Information provided by the Town of Smithville