Long's Mill / Merchant Grist Mill
Bucks Co. | Pennsylvania | USA
Watersource: Little Neshaminy Creek.
Long's Mill / Merchant Grist Mill
From the intersection of Easton Road/Pa 611 and W. Street Road/Pa 132 south of Warrington, go southeast on W. Street Road, turning left on Valley Road after one mile. Continue about 2/3 mile and turn left onto Old Mill Farm Nursery just prior to crossing the Little Neshaminy Creek and before getting to a small recreational county park on the right side past the bridge.Address: 854 Valley Road, Warrington, PA 18976
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Old Mill Farm is one of the oldest historic sites in Warrington Township, Pennsylvania. Located back from Valley Road across from Kemper Park.
The farm occupies part of one thousand acres which were deeded to Alexander Parker by William Penn in 1703. A gristmill was constructed in 1756 under the ownership of Robert Thomkins from 1749 to 1759.
A sawmill was also built, and the two were operated under the name of the Long Merchant Mill.
The name came from Andrew Long who emigrated from Ireland in 1691 and had acquired much land in Warrington and Warwick Townships.
The Little Neshaminy Creek photographed from the bridge on Valley Road. One story connected with the gristmill is that George Washington, while he was headquartered at the Moland House in Warwick, bought flour and meal from the owners of the mill.
The depression where the headrace used to be located. The gristmill was converted into a residence in 1936 by Adeline McCord.
The property was bought by Arthur Aloe in 1940 and was given its present name. Aloe operated a natural foods business known as Great Valley Mills through the 1950''s and into the 1960's.
The restoration of the interior was completed in 1999 along with sandblasting and repainting of the exterior stone and replacement of rotting wood.One discovery that was made during the reconstruction was that the original entrance to the mill race consisted of multi-colored stonework. The old mill was among the first group of properties to be recognized as historic sites by the Board of Supervisors of Warrington Twp. several yeas ago.
The miller's house to the mill is probably under separate ownership from Old Mill Farm Nursery.
The farm now consists of about 15 acres on which the current owners, Art and Kim Hynes operate a Landscape Nursery open to the public which includes a Landscape Construction division.
The Hynes have put a lot of effort into restoring the original mill/converted into a house and the grounds surrounding the Neshaminy Creek. GPS: 40 13.75'N, 75' 7.33'W ele. 223'/68 meters Hatboro Quadrangle