Milford Mills, Pennsylvania facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Milford Mills, Pennsylvania
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Village
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Montrose School House on Covered Bridge Road, now under the water of Marsh Creek Lake
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 Milford Mills, Pennsylvania
Location in Pennsylvania
Milford Mills, Pennsylvania
Location in the United States
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| Country | United States |
| State | Pennsylvania |
| County | Chester |
| Elevation | 272 ft (83 m) |
| Population
(2000)
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| • Total | 0 |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (EST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
| ZIP Code |
19335
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| Area codes | 484 and 610 |
Milford Mills was a small village in Chester County, Pennsylvania, United States. It was located in the beautiful Marsh Creek Valley. However, the village no longer exists. It was covered by water when the Marsh Creek Dam was built in 1972.
Contents
History of Milford Mills
Early Settlers and Growth
Milford Mills was one of several farming villages in Upper Uwchlan Township, Pennsylvania. It was settled by people from Wales, Scotland, and England. These early settlers arrived in the area in the early 1700s.
During the 1800s, Milford Mills started to grow. Like nearby villages such as Lyndell and Dorlan, it became busy with factories. These factories made paper and cloth (textiles).
Later, bigger factories moved to other places. The area around Milford Mills went back to being mostly farms. After World War II, new roads like the Pennsylvania Turnpike brought more homes and people to northwestern Chester County.
The Marsh Creek Dam Project
In 1961, the government decided to build a dam in the Marsh Creek Valley. This dam would help control floods. It would also create a reservoir to provide drinking water for the Brandywine River Valley.
Many residents were sad and protested the plan. But the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania bought 34 properties in the area. The village of Milford Mills and nearby woodlands were cleared away.
In 1972, the Marsh Creek Dam was finished. It was an earthen dam, meaning it was made of soil and rock. The dam stood 89 feet (27 meters) high and was 990 feet (301 meters) long.
Milford Mills Today
Today, the original site of Milford Mills is under the water of Marsh Creek Lake. The lake covers about 530 acres (2.1 km2). It is part of a water management project. This project is run by the Chester County Water Resources Authority and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
If you visit Marsh Creek State Park, you might see some clues of the old village. You can sometimes spot old roads and traces of houses and barns. These are found along the lake's shores and in nearby recreation areas.
Gallery
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The Larkin Covered Bridge was once located in Milford Mills.
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Milford Mills is currently under Marsh Creek Lake.
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Marsh Creek Lake where Marsh Creek Valley and Milford Mills once stood
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Larkin's Covered Bridge at its original location on Covered Bridge Road
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Map of Milford Mills from an 1883 Atlas
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A portion of Milford Road abandoned following the construction of the Marsh Creek dam.
