Milford Mills was a village that was located in the Marsh Creek Valley of
Chester County, Pennsylvania
Chester County (Pennsylvania Dutch language, Pennsylvania Dutch: ''Tscheschter Kaundi''), colloquially known as Chesco, is a County (United States), county in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. It is located in the De ...
, United States. It was inundated by the construction of the
Marsh Creek Dam in 1972.
History
Milford Mills was one of several farming villages that were settled in
Upper Uwchlan Township by
Welsh
Welsh may refer to:
Related to Wales
* Welsh, referring or related to Wales
* Welsh language, a Brittonic Celtic language spoken in Wales
* Welsh people
People
* Welsh (surname)
* Sometimes used as a synonym for the ancient Britons (Celtic peop ...
,
Scots-Irish and
English
English usually refers to:
* English language
* English people
English may also refer to:
Peoples, culture, and language
* ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England
** English national ide ...
during the first quarter of the eighteenth century. Like nearby
Lyndell and
Dorlan, Milford Mills grew during the nineteenth century as paper and textile manufacturing flourished. Later bypassed by large-scale industry, the region reverted to an agricultural economy until after
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
when the
Pennsylvania Turnpike
The Pennsylvania Turnpike (Penna Turnpike or PA Turnpike) is a toll highway operated by the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission (PTC) in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. A controlled-access highway, it runs for across the state. The turnpike's we ...
brought suburban development to northwestern Chester County.
In 1961, the Pennsylvania Department of Forests and Waters selected the Marsh Creek Valley as favorable location for a
flood control
Flood control methods are used to reduce or prevent the detrimental effects of flood waters."Flood Control", MSN Encarta, 2008 (see below: Further reading). Flood relief methods are used to reduce the effects of flood waters or high water level ...
and drinking water reservoir to serve the Brandywine River Valley. Despite protests from some residents, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania acquired thirty-four properties throughout the region for the project, razing the village and nearby woodlands. In 1972, the earthen Marsh Creek Dam was completed, standing at 89 feet (27 m) high and 990 feet (301 m) long.
Today, the site of Milford Mills lies beneath the Marsh Creek Lake, and is part of a water management project operated by the Chester County Water Resources Authority and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
Abandoned roads and traces of houses, barns and other structures can be seen on the shores of the lake and in adjacent recreation areas in
Marsh Creek State Park
Marsh Creek State Park is a Pennsylvania state park in Upper Uwchlan and Wallace Townships, Chester County, Pennsylvania in the United States. The park is the location of the man-made Marsh Creek Lake. With an average depth of 40 feet (73 fe ...
.
Gallery
File:Larkin Covered Bridge2.JPG, The Larkin Covered Bridge was once located in Milford Mills.
File:MarshCreekLake1.jpg, Milford Mills is currently under Marsh Creek Lake
Marsh Creek Lake is a man-made lake that resulted from the construction of a dam across Marsh Creek, filling a valley that prompted the relocation of residents from Milford Mills, Pennsylvania to higher ground. The reasons for creating the lake ...
.
File:Marsh Creek Exton Pennsylvania.jpg, Marsh Creek Lake where Marsh Creek Valley and Milford Mills once stood
File:Larkin's_Covered_Bridge,_Milford_Mills,_Pennsylvania.jpg, Larkin's Covered Bridge at its original location on Covered Bridge Road
References
{{authority control
Geography of Chester County, Pennsylvania
Ghost towns in Pennsylvania
Unincorporated communities in Pennsylvania