Crosley–Garrett Mill Workers' Housing, Store, and Mill Site facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Crosley–Garrett Mill Workers' Housing, Store, and Mill Site
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The Crosley-Garrett Mill Workers' Housing and Store building.
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 Location in Pennsylvania
Location in the United States
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| Location | Paper Mill Rd. and St. David's rd., Newtown Township, Pennsylvania |
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| Area | 4.4 acres (1.8 ha) |
| Built | 1828 |
| Architectural style | Federal |
| NRHP reference No. | 03000074 |
| Added to NRHP | February 27, 2003 |
The Crosley–Garrett Mill Workers' Housing, Store, and Mill Site is a historic place in Newtown Township, Pennsylvania. It shows what life was like for factory workers in the 1800s. The site sits next to Darby Creek.
This historic complex includes several parts. There is a stone house built in 1828 where four families of mill workers lived. A store was added to the house in 1845. You can also see the archaeological remains, or ruins, of two old mills.
Today, the buildings are home to the Paper Mill House Museum. This museum is run by the Newtown Square Historical Society. The site is so important that it was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2003. This is a list of special places in the United States that are worth protecting.
Contents
History of the Mill Community
This area was once a busy community centered around two different mills. The buildings that are still standing tell the story of the people who lived and worked here.
Homes for Mill Workers
In 1828, a special stone house was built for the people who worked at the nearby mill. It was designed to house four different families. This type of housing, provided by an employer, is called company housing. It was common for factories to build homes for their workers to live in close by.
A store was attached to the housing unit in 1845. This made it easy for the workers and their families to buy food and supplies without traveling far.
The Mills on Darby Creek
The site was home to two different mills over the years. Mills use machinery to make products, and they were often powered by water from a creek or river.
William Crosley's Woolen Mill
The first mill was William Crosley's Woolen Mill. It was built in 1828, the same year as the workers' housing. This factory made fabric from wool. It operated for over 30 years, until 1861.
Casper S. Garrett's Union Paper Mill
Later, a new mill was built on the site. From 1869 to 1889, Casper S. Garrett ran the Union Paper Mill here. As its name suggests, this factory produced paper.
Today, only the archaeological remains of these two mills are left. Archaeologists study these ruins to learn more about how the mills worked and what life was like in the 19th century.
