Moore Bros. Paper Mill Ruins
Delaware Co. | Pennsylvania | USA
Watersource: Darby Creek.
Moore Bros. Paper Mill Ruins
Going from Chester Co. into Del. Co. on Pa 252, turn left on St. Davids Road and go about 1 mile to Paper Mill Rd on the right. Turn right and go 0.5 miles to the ruins on the left.
A tract of 80 acres of land was sold in 1835 by Adam Siter to Samuel, James and Alexander Moore, and on which the Moores then erected a stone paper mill described as 40' x 60' and 3 stories in height, and also a one-story stone picker house.
The Moores built 14 tenement houses and maintained a large business until 1855; when, the main mill was destroyed by fire. The small one burned a few years later.
The one story picker house looks to have been rebuilt, perhaps as a small dwelling.GPS: 40D 0.91'N, 75D 23.82'W ele 325'/99 meters Valley Forge Quadrangle
The stone arch would probably be the outlet arch for the race from Darby Creek that operated ther mill. We find today, about 500' west of the township line and north of the road, the beautiful, ivy clad remains of a two-story stone mill, 70' x 34' and with a wall thickness in a low archway of 42".
A mill race comes into it at the top and it is plain where the overflow from the wheel went. Although this mill has been thought to have been part of the Lewis domain, and despite a slight disparity in measurements, it seems almost certain that it is in fact the remains of the Moore establishment, which was the largest in Newtown Township. Dr. Henry Pleasants later acquired this property. Perhaps this large stone barn was part of Pleasants farm.