Lower Red Clay Valley: Brandywine Springs Exhibit Hall

Monday, June 25, 2012

Brandywine Springs Exhibit Hall

As I said before in an earlier post, these photos were passed along to me by and the property of Mike Ciosek from The Friends of Branywine Springs. Beneath each, Mike gives a description of the the photos contents.
I want to thank Mike and the volunteers of FOBS for continued work.

This photo shows the sign that we put in place in 2006. The building was built in 1891 and was used for roller skating, dance pavilion, and merchant exhibits. In 1910 the building was reconfigured into an open air pavilion.

We found several new footings for the building after a flood in the park. Before that date we only knew where the northwest corner of the building was located. After the flood, we found a number of footers and were able to determine the building size was 92 feet square. FOBS built the sign and erected yellow corner posts to show the size of the building. The yellow arrows in the photo show the corner post locations.

This was the footer that was uncovered by the flood, we cleaned it for the photograph.

5 comments:

Scott P said...: As a member of FOBS and frequent participant in the digs, I can add that this site is a perfect example of why we do the digs in the first place (besides the obvious of "It's fun to dig in the dirt!"). Prior to the aforementioned flood, we knew where the building stood and we were aware of footers defining one corner and parts of two sides.

But, we didn't know how big the building was. The pictures we had led us to believe it was smaller than it turned out to be. When the first new footer was discovered to the left of the path in the above picture -- alongside Hyde Run -- we initially didn't know what it was. When we found a couple more, we first thought they might have been related to poles that could have carried electrical lines over the creek from the powerhouse on the other side.

Eventually, after finding several more and noticing that they were evenly spaced, we also realized that they lined up with the other footers on the other side of the path. After a longer time than it probably should have taken, we realized what we had was the other side of the Exhibit Hall -- a building that turned out to be bigger than we had thought!; June 26, 2012 at 1:53 PM
Denis said...: Thanks Scott.....When is your next dig and are they scheduled on a regular basis?

Thanks; June 28, 2012 at 7:53 AM
Scott P said...: They are scheduled once a month from April through November, and the specific dates should be listed on the Friends of Brandywine Springs site (link to the left). I think the next one is July 7.; June 28, 2012 at 2:44 PM
Scott P said...: Since I had mentioned the July FOBS dig, I felt I should pass along this update. Due to the expected extreme heat, the July dig has been cancelled. The artifacts will still be there next month, but if us old guys go digging when it's 100 degrees out, we may not be.; July 5, 2012 at 1:19 PM
Denis said...: Thanks Scott..........; July 6, 2012 at 8:29 PM

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.