The Experience
The Newlin Grist Mill is set within a 150-acre park in the Brandywine River valley. The stone and timber structure was built in 1704 and continued operations until World War II, grinding wheat, rye, corn and oats from the area’s farms.
There are three other 18th-century housing and milling structures nearby, as well as a re-created barn, log cabin and blacksmith shop. There are also several miles of hiking trails, picnic areas, the original dam site and a flowing trout stream on the grounds. In summers and the fall, the park holds nature programs and historical workshops for visitors.
History
The Newlin Grist Mill was started on land granted by William Penn to the Quaker follower Nicholas Newlin. Newlin’s son, Nathaniel, built the mill in 1704 and it was operated by his descendants until 1817. In 1957, a ninth-generation Newlin, E. Mortimer, repurchased the land and started restoring the mill and surrounding buildings, opening the property to the public.