Bancroft Mills facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Bancroft and Sons Cotton Mills
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Bancroft Mills in 2005
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| Location | Rockford Road, Wilmington, Delaware |
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| Built | 1787 |
| NRHP reference No. | 84000439 |
| Added to NRHP | 1984-12-20 |
Bancroft Mills was a very old and important factory complex. It was located along Brandywine Creek in Wilmington, Delaware, United States. For a long time, it was the biggest and busiest mill complex in the area. Today, it has been changed into a modern living space, but it still reminds us of its rich history.
Contents
History of Bancroft Mills
How the Mills Started
The Bancroft Mills were started in 1831 by Joseph Bancroft. He was an immigrant from England. Joseph had worked in the textile industry, which is where cloth is made.
The mill was rebuilt after a big flood in 1839. It was also made bigger many times, including a large expansion in 1895. By 1880, Bancroft Mills was already the largest factory in the United States for finishing cotton.
New Leaders and Growth
In the 1880s, Joseph Bancroft's son, Samuel Bancroft, took over the mills. Samuel was also a publisher for the Wilmington newspaper Every Evening. He was a very generous person who gave a lot of money to good causes.
Samuel collected many Pre-Raphaelite paintings. These paintings later became the start of the Delaware Art Museum. His brother, William Poole Bancroft, also helped the community. He gave land to start Wilmington's large park system. His gift for a public library also helped create the Wilmington Public Library.
New Ideas and Changes
In 1895, the Bancroft family joined their mills together into one big company. While other mills made cloth, Bancroft Mills was known for its new technology. They were especially good at finishing cloth made by other companies. They were famous for making fabric window shades.
Bancroft Mills was the first in the United States to use the mercerizing process. This process makes cotton stronger and shinier. They also led the way in using synthetic fabrics (man-made fabrics) for weaving. They even created the first fabrics that would stay creased permanently, and a material called Ban-Lon.
Over time, many textile factories moved from the northeastern United States to southern states. Because of this, the buildings where Bancroft Mills made cloth closed in 1961. The Bancroft Company was then bought by another company called Indian Head Mills, Inc.
What Happened to the Mills Later
The mill complex was later owned by a company called Wilmington Piece Dye. This company went out of business in 2003. Then, O'Neill Properties Group bought the site. This company specializes in fixing up old or unused land.
In September 2015, Bancroft Mills became a large complex of fancy apartments called Rockford Falls. Today, the complex reminds us of the important history of milling in the Brandywine Valley.
There were two fires at the site after the mills closed. One happened in May 2015, and another in November 2016. After the last fire, the remaining old buildings and the chimney were completely taken down. New construction is planned for the area.
Cool Inventions in Cloth Making
In the 1930s, Bancroft Mills created two special ways to make fabric.
- Ban-Lon was a type of rayon fabric. It was thicker and softer than regular yarns.
- Everglaze was a way to finish cotton fabric. It made the fabric feel more dense, like wool.
Ban-Lon was very popular in the 1960s and 1970s. Because of this, licensing (letting other companies use) their inventions was very profitable for Bancroft. By 1961, the mills stopped making textiles themselves. Instead, they earned money from other companies paying to use their patented ideas.
Sponsoring Miss America
From the 1940s to the 1960s, the Bancroft Company became the main sponsor of the Miss America Pageant. They did this to promote their special fabric processes, like Ban-Lon and Everglaze. They wanted Miss America contestants to wear clothes made from their fabrics.
During these years, Bancroft Company gave money for scholarships to the Miss America winners. In return, the contestants had to take pictures wearing clothes made from Bancroft's products.
