The Restoration of Abbott’s Mill
Located two miles southwest of Milford, Abbott’s Mill was added to the National Registry of Historic Places on May 18, 1979. The site was established as a sawmill in 1795 and converted to a gristmill after 1808. The site remains named after Ainsworth Abbott who purchased it in 1919.
The current two and a half story building is a later 19th century structure, built on what is thought to be the original mill building’s foundation, with extensive renovations from the late 1800’s and an addition from the early 1900’s. The machinery and chutes from the original mill that remain on the site were used to process grain, reflecting Delaware’s rich past as an agricultural center.
Constructed almost entirely of wooden frame, the building became vulnerable to several factors including age, water infiltration, insect damage and its proximity to a road. Damage to the beams and framing meant that Abbott’s Mill needed to be closed to the public for reasons of safety.
The Division for Historical and Cultural Affairs will begin restoration and repair of the structural framing at this historic landmark this summer. Out of concern for public safety and to ensure that the site will reopen with no lingering effects of damage, a structural engineer was brought in to assess the site as well as an architect to plan out every step of repairing the space. A thorough engineering study and design was completed, and work is set to begin with an eye towards reopening the site for interpretive programming by the Delaware Nature Society who lease the space and who facilitate workshops, exhibits, walking trails along the property, school trips and other programs.
Utilizing the Secretary of the Interior’s preservation methods, a plan was created to replace all the deteriorated beams and reinforce the structure. The project will replace rotted and structurally unsound wood, create new beams and posts to shore up the structure, place new joists next to older existing pieces to brace them and retain as much historic fabric as possible, utilizing historic materials to maintain the integrity of the site while ensuring that the areas that have been renovated are distinguishable from the original historic fabric for study and interpretation of the mill’s history.
Work is anticipated to begin late this summer and is expected to be completed by early winter. Historical and Cultural Affairs looks forward to inviting visitors to return to a refreshed, restored, time-honored Mill that holds Delaware’s very history under its roof.
In the meantime, visitors can enjoy 5 miles of free, pet-friendly nature trails, including a handicap-accessible streamside boardwalk and Abbott’s Pond Trail of scenic water views with public access boating, fishing and a kayaking ramp. The Abbott’s Mill Nature Center, run by Delaware Nature Society, also offers paid youth programs such as Knee-High Naturalists: Flight of the Butterflies for preschoolers on August 12, 10-11:30 a.m. Music at the Mill is coming up on August 13, 5:30-7:30 p.m., free for members (non-members will be charged a small fee). For additional details visit Delaware Nature Society’s website.
