Orange Grove Flour Mill facts for kids
The Orange Grove Flour Mill was a very important mill that made flour (the powder used to bake bread and cakes!). It was built in 1856 and was one of the best flour mills in the Mid-Atlantic states (a region in the eastern USA). Sadly, it was destroyed by a big fire in 1905.
The Mill's Story
The Orange Grove Flour Mill started in 1856. It was built by two partners, Dailey and Worthington. At that time, many mills and factories were built along the river near Ellicott City.
In 1860, Charles A. Gambrill bought the mill. It could make 500 barrels of flour every day! A barrel of flour is a lot, like a big container.
A big flood hit on July 24, 1868. Many buildings were badly damaged. But the Orange Grove Mill was one of the few that survived! It was back to work by mid-August.
After the flood, the mill became the top flour maker in the area. For a while, it was even the biggest flour mill east of Minneapolis!
The mill had five stories. When it was owned by the C.A. Gambrill Manufacturing Company, it made a huge amount of flour. It produced between 1,200 and 1,500 barrels of flour every day!
The flour from this mill was sold in white bags. These bags were tied with string and labeled "Patapsco Superlative Flour."
Sadly, in 1905, a big fire destroyed the mill. It was never rebuilt after that.
What's Left Today?
Today, you can only see the ruins of the mill. Ruins are what's left of old buildings. These ruins are next to the Patapsco Swinging Bridge.
The Patapsco Swinging Bridge was first built for the mill workers. It helped them cross the Patapsco River to get to work. They could cross from Howard County to Baltimore County.
In 1972, a big storm called Hurricane Agnes hit. This hurricane destroyed most of the mill ruins. Now, you can only see a small part of the mill's wall. You can also see a piece of an old coal chute. This chute was used to move coal for trains.
Where to Find the Ruins
The ruins of the Orange Grove Mill are in the Orange Grove Area of Patapsco Valley State Park. They are located between the CSX Railroad tracks and the Grist Mill Trail.
If you walk on the Grist Mill Trail, the ruins are about in the middle. They are about 1 and 1/3 miles from the Lost Lake trail entrance. They are also about 1 mile from the Ilchester Road trail entrance, near Bloede's Dam.
You can also reach the ruins from an unmarked rocky path. This path goes down to the park from Hilton Avenue in Catonsville, Maryland. It's near the entrance of the All Saints Convent.
