It appears that the first ever written mention of a water-powered mill may have been by the Roman architect and military engineer Marcus...

I’ll get back to Abbott’s Mill next week, but last Saturday was Veteran’s Day and yesterday, Nov. 16th, was my father’s birthday, so I...

I’ve been wondering just when water was first used to power a mill. I knew that the first water-powered mill in America was built in...

I volunteered to represent the Mid-Atlantic chapter of SPOOM, (the Society for the Preservation Of Old Mills) at the 2023 Mid-Atlantic...

(Here's the whole article that I didn't finish last week.) So first, let’s settle just who Oliver Evans was. Oliver was born on Sept. 13,...

So first, let’s settle just who Oliver Evans was. Oliver was born on Sept. 13, 1755 in Newport, Delaware. At the age of 16 he was...

Now that you have an understanding of how cornmeal was produced at Abbott’s Mill, you can forget all that because white flour is made in...

Before I explain the corn milling processes at Abbott’s Mill, I should briefly explain what the “Oliver Evans System” is. Delaware native...

The last owner/operator of Abbott's Mill, Ainsworth (nmi) Abbott, who operated it for over four decades, was born on June 22, 1885 in...

In 1925, almost 100 years ago, and not long after Mr. Abbott bought out his partner, he must have realized that his waterwheel didn't...

Continued from last week - Thomas H. Coursey (1805-1999) began milling as a young man at what is now called Wyoming Mill, although the...

As originally constructed in the early 1800s, the mill on Bowman Branch had a breast-shot waterwheel that drove two sets of 48”...

Beginning this week I'll be posting updated versions of my articles about the interesting history and operation Abbott's Mill. I'll also...

Closed bottle gentian, Gentiana andrewsii, also known as bottle gentian or Andrew's Gentian, is a wild flower found throughout the...

It is a common misconception that if a tree receives a minor wound it will heal itself over time, much like a minor cut or abrasion to an...

If the devil needs a walking stick, I have no doubt that he would choose Aralia spinosa, a small tree that is literally covered in sharp...

Delaware's American trees. American basswood (Tilia americana) Native to northern Delaware (though not common), American basswood...

Several Turk's-cap lilies (Lilium superbum) are in bloom right now along the stream-side boardwalk loop. Turk's-caps are the largest of...

The American Holly (Ilex opaca) is considered one of the most popular trees in the world. The tree is ridiculously tough and is widely...

This is July, the month that we celebrate America's independence, and that's why I'm highlighting some of our native "American" trees....