On the banks of the Red Clay Creek, Yorklyn, Delaware is near the border with Pennsylvania that was drawn by Mason and Dixon. The swiftly moving creek once powered numerous mills from Pre-Revolutionary times to the early 20th century. Industry began here with John Garrett in 1730, when he opened a gristmill in an area called at the time "Auburn." He had purchased the land from the estaate of Letitia Penn, William Penn's daughter. Later members of the Garrett family built snuff and paper mills and added to the family fortune.
Above are some of what remains on the site of the Garrett Snuff Mills, which finely ground tobacco from Maryland and Virginia into snuff (which is a type of smokeless tobacco). Flooding from a hurricane in the 90's destroyed shops which were located in some of the buildings, along with long abandoned mill buildings.
Today, one center of activity in Yorklyn is the tiny post office, located on the left side of this building on Yorklyn Road. Just 100 yards past the post office is the bridge over the Red Clay Creek.
Yorklyn is part of the Greater Hockessin, Delaware area, which is just down Yorklyn Rd. There are many historic homes in Yorklyn, as well as the new Auburn Heights Preserve, a State park which features the 1897 Marshall mansion as well as a collection of steam powered cars and machinery.
Carolyn Roland, GRI CRS Patterson-Schwartz & Assoc. Inc.
Selling historic properties in Delaware
and Chester County, Pennsylvania since 1987. Office located in Hockessin, DE, on the Delaware/Pennsylvania line.
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The DE and PA Historic Real Estate blog Call: Direct 800-771-2332 Office 302-239-3000
