FEATURES
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40 Acres
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1.5 miles of trails
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Picnic Pavilion
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Historic Marshall Mill House
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Red Clay Creek Tributary
THINGS TO DO
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Hiking/Walking/Running
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Bird and Wildlife Watching
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Nature Photography
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Cross Country Skiing
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Mountain Biking
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Picnicking
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Stream Exploring
THE PRESERVATION OF MARSHALL MILL HOUSE
In 2000, the white clapboard Marshall Mill House on Route 82 was slated to be razed by a managed fire. In an outpouring of community support the property was saved by TLC, neighbors, and Kennett Township residents who viewed the structure as an important representation to our area’s history.
The Marshall Mill House is located on a 40 acre tract. Built circa 1850s, it provided residence for an employee of the Marshall Bros. Paper Mill, located just up the road. The house is a perfect representation of a transitional stage in common home design and construction, during which for the first time lumber could be shipped hundreds of miles and nails and hardware could be produced by machine. This enabled builders to easily create more complex architectural structures and brought about improvments in working-class standards of living.
The Marshall Mill House accommodated not only the mill employee, but also his wife and their children. It is a wonderful reminder of what large family would consider a ‘normal’ sized home. It tells the story of the everyday life of the working class in our area while it was transformed by the Industrial Revolution. It is one of several remaining structures from the mid-1800s in the area, all of which help to paint a picture of this historic era in beautiful Chester County.
The Mill House restoration work was completed by David Seeburger
Builders with funding provided by The Crystal Trust.
map of preserve
