Of Mules and Men - A Historical Account of Logging on the Tantrough Branch
Clarence T. Workman and his mules When I was about 12 years old, Daddy decided to sell the mature pines on what had been my Grandmother...
"Grist from Abbott's Mill"
Not the same old grind!
Welcome to a unique blog about the history of Ainsworth Abbott's Old Mill, and other old mills in Delmarva. It's also full of great stories about the nearby flora and fauna.
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Early History of Mills in Cedar Creek Hundred, Sussex Co., DE
From: “History of Delaware, 1609-1888, by J. Thomas Scharf” (The following was written in the late 1880s) The earliest and, in fact, the...
Rites of Spring
In an effort to dispel the winter doldrums, we are prone to seek any sign that spring is just around the corner. I look for the first...
The Early History of Abbott's Mill
The origin of Abbott’s Mill can be traced back to just after the American Revolution. In the fall of 1795 Nathan Willey, a local...
Partridge Berry-twin flower-Mitchella repens
The Partridge Berry, Mitchella repens, is very common in the Tantrough and Johnson’s Branch forested areas. The plant is a small,...
DIY Squirrel Proof Bird Feeder
If you enjoy feeding the Gray Squirrels, then that’s fine. But if you’re tired of those neighborhood “tree rats” stealing your expensive...
Who was Oliver Evans?
Who was Oliver Evans? Until the late 1700s the milling of grains into flour was a very labor-intensive process. Grist mills (mills that...
Mill renovation in progress
You may pass by Abbotts Mill and wonder what's going on. The Delaware Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs (owner of the historic...
Holly Tales
Normal holly fruiting branch One of the primary tributaries supplying Blair’s Pond is the Tantrough Branch. Much of that drainage is...
Ainsworth Abbott's huge semi-diesel engine
In 1919, just over a hundred years ago, Ainsworth Abbott and Joseph J. Smith went into partnership and for $7000 bought an old mill that...
