Lower Red Clay Valley: Brandywine Springs B&O Railroad Station

Saturday, June 2, 2012

Brandywine Springs B&O Railroad Station

In the time since this blog was created I have wanted to attend a archeological dig on the grounds of the old Brandywine Springs Spa / Amusement Park to take some photos showing the work these volunteers do to help preserve the history of this site and large piece of history in Delaware and The Lower Red Clay Valley. Though I had good intentions of getting there for a dig, I never made it due to one thing or another. At a recent event held at The Wilmington and Western Railroad I ran into Mike Ciosek, President of The Friends of Branywine Springs (FOBS). Mike oversees the digs that go on there and asked him if he had any photos he could share. He sent me some and here is a short part of his email:

There are photos from 4 archaeology sites. FOBS has been digging in the park since 1994. Our objective is to find and mark the sites of the buildings in the park. This will allow people to take a historical nature walk in the old amusement park.

I will not include all the photos in this first post but will break it down by subject for now and on future posts. I want to thank Mike for his input and his sharing of these pictures. I do believe these were taken by him and are property of the Friends of Brandywine Springs. I would also like to note, the text below each photo was input from Mike.

In 1891 an agreement was made with the B&O Railroad to allow them to erect a station in the park. This photo is from a George Wolf postcard of the era and was the only photo we had. Note on the postcard it is called a pavilion so we have kept that designation. The Wilmington & Western Railroad calls it a station.

The photo is typical of what we found for the footers. The 18” x 18” x 6” concrete footer cap was cast off site. We could tell this was made by the B&O because there are coal particles as large as 1 inch in size in the concrete. The coal pile must have been next to the sand pile where they did the concrete casting. In the photo you can also see mortar with coal dust between the local rock columns that supported the concrete cap.

The photo shows the sign and posts FOBS put in place to mark where the building was located. The current Wilmington & Western Railroad narration points out the posts and signs during their trips up the Red Clay Valley

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Welcome

The history of the Lower Red Clay Valley, stretching some 3 miles from Faulkland Road to Stanton, can be traced back to include parts of 5 centuries. From the settling of Bread and Cheese Island in the 1600’s through the 2000’s when the final industrial tract, whose start began as a gristmill, closed. The lower end of the valley has seen a whole host of different mills, names, places and events that play a major part in Delaware’s history. The region is also home to Delaware’s only steam powered train, The Wilmington and Western Railroad, which winds its way along the Red Clay Creek. It is also home to the famous Brandywine Springs and Spa established in the 1800’s that later became an amusement park.

Around 1679, before most of these facilities were in operation, a mill was constructed in proximity of where the Red and White Clay Creeks merge in Stanton, and then flow to the Christiana River. Stanton was to become the first settlement in what we know now as Mill Creek Hundred. The Stanton area also attracted names like the Lea, Tatnall, Byrnes and DuPont. Shipping goods at that time was possible due to the fact that navigation was achievable up the White Clay Creek to Stanton from the Christiana River. Goods would be brought down Limestone Road from Chester and Lancaster Counties to be shipped.

Over the next 100 years or so since that first mill was established, no less then four more mills were erected in the short distance of roughly three miles upstream to Faulkland Road. Delaware’s most famous inventor, Oliver Evans, worked in the family mill at Faulkland. This is where he invented his mill automation system that revolutionized the milling industry. He received the patent for his accomplishment in 1790. In between Faulkland and the Stanton Mill was the Phillips Mill (Greenbank Mill), Hersey Mill (Where the former Ametek site is) and The Reese Mill site (which much later became the Kiamensi Woolen Mills). Remnants from each one of these mills still exist. I believe all five of these mills were in operation in September 1777 when General George Washington assembled his troops along the east side of The Red Clay Creek, spreading south to north along the stream. He ordered mills in the area to be made inoperable and move products so they could not be confiscated by the enemy. This was all in anticipation of a battle with approximately 15,000 British Troops on their march, from the Chesapeake, to take control of the Colonial Capital of Philadelphia. According to writing’s, Gen. Washington believed this would be the final battle of the Revolutionary War. During that week in 1777 a Counsel of War meeting was held at the Hale-Byrnes House in Stanton, attended by Washington and his other officers. As history shows, that battle never took place as General Howe’s troops took a alternate route leading to Chadd’s Ford, PA. and the Battle of The Brandywine.

When a hotel was built at Brandywine Springs in the 1820’s it was the beginning of approximately 100 years of enjoyment for a site that transitioned from resort spa to amusement park that finally closed in the early 1900’s. The friends of Brandywine Springs keep the park alive through archeological digs along with providing and maintaining trails leading to areas where old foundations have been uncovered or old amusement rides once stood. The park had its own rail station where folks would be picked up and drop off by the Wilmington and Western Railroad that came into existence in 1870. The W&W railroad continues to operate today taking passengers on a scenic journey through the Historic Red Clay Valley and along the banks of the Red Clay Creek. Its station is located at Greenbank along Rt41. Its maintenance yard, with its soon to be completed new offices and meeting room, are located in Marshallton.

Not far from The Red Clay Creek remain pieces of the past which would have either supported or benefited from these industries and more. I hope some of the photos in this blog will show you some of those. Some may be gone now but some still remain.

By clicking here a DELDOT pdf document will give a more in depth look at the Brandywine Springs / Red Clay area.