Enriching our community for four centuries . . .
Nestled along the Pickering Creek in Chester
Springs, Pennsylvania, the Mill at Anselma is an
extraordinary artifact of 250 years of Chester
County’s industrial heritage. Constructed in c.
1747 by Samuel Lightfoot, the Mill retains its
original Colonial-Era power train, as well as
multiple layers of industrial equipment ranging
from the late 1700s to the mid 1900s. The Mill
and the village of Anselma demonstrate how
eighteenth-century technology was adapted to
serve the prosperity of the Industrial
Revolution and the challenges of the Great
Depression.
Through the efforts of
The Mill at Anselma
Preservation and Educational Trust,
this nationally significant grist mill site has
been restored and returned to operation for the
enjoyment of families, schoolchildren, tourists
and scholars. Come share in our enthusiasm as we
bring alive the story of America's
technological past and the lives of the people
that shaped it.
Upcoming Events at the Mill at Anselma
Milling Demonstrations (10 a.m. – 4 p.m.)
This year’s flour milling demonstrations also feature other activities as highlighted below. The Mill runs continuously throughout the day during demonstrations.
| April 12 |
Opening Day and Milling Demonstration |
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Blacksmith Demonstration by Don Plummer |
| May 17 |
Milling Demonstration |
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Anselma Goes Organic |
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Farmer’s Market Preview |
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Wheat weaving demonstration by Linda Beiler |
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Bread baking by Marilyn Crossan |
| June 14 |
Milling demonstration |
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Tinsmithing Demonstration by Win Harrison |
| June 21 |
Swing Into Summer at the Mill at Anselma 6 – 9 pm |
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***Please note - June 21st the correct date. The date was incorrectly reported in the Mill’s Spring newsletter |
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See more equipment operating in the Mill than ever before! Music by the West Chester Swing Kings and delicious Barbeque. ($35 Members, $40 Non-members & $25 Children under 17 yrs) |
| July 12 |
Milling demonstration |
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18th Century Ice Cream Making by Susan Plaisted with discount coupons to the Chester Springs Creamery |
| August 9 |
Milling demonstration |
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18th Century Cheese Making by Clarissa Dillon |
| September 13 |
Oliver Evans Day – Celebrating the accomplishments of this American inventor on the day of his birth |
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Milling demonstration featuring a special run of the Mill’s elevators |
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Book signing party for new Children’s Book about the Mill at Anselma written by Carolyn Eaglehouse and illustrated by Dru Kring |
| September 20 |
The Mill’s Annual Fall Auction at the home of Maurice and Dru Kring |
| October 11 |
Milling demonstration |
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Hands-on Applesauce Making with Cooking For Real |
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Hot Cider from Vollmecke Orchards |
| November 8 |
Milling demonstration |
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18th century baking demonstration by Past Masters |
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21st century bread baking by Marilyn Crossan |
| December 6 |
Holiday Grind |
Farmers and Artisans Market Coming to the Mill at Anselma!
Watch for plans for a Farmers and Artisans Market at the Mill on Wednesdays (tentatively 2 – 7 pm) starting June 4th. Check back for more details!
Mill Hours
April 12 - August
Saturdays 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Sundays 1 – 4 p.m.
September – December 22th
Saturdays and Sundays 1 – 4 p.m.
Admission: $5 Adults; $4 Seniors (60+); $3 children (6 – 17 yrs)
Directions
From I-76:
Take Rt. 202 South to Rt. 401 (Conestoga Road).
Follow Rt. 401 West for 5 miles. Cross over
Rt. 113. The entrance to the Mill at Anselma is
located 1/2 mile above Rt. 113 on the left.
(There is a sign at the entrance).
From PA Turnpike (I-276):
At Downingtown Exit 312, take Rt. 100 South.
Follow Rt. 100 South to Rt. 113. Take left onto
Rt. 113 North. Follow to Rt. 401. Take a
left on Rt. 401 West. The
entrance to the Mill at Anselma is located on
Rt. 401, ˝
mile west of Rt. 113 on the left.”
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Simply stated, I have never found an
example to equal this Mill. Whereas
there are several partial examples
extant, the Mill at Anselma is the only
one complete in all the necessary
machinery -- of the “Wooden Age” . . .
The Mill is of great importance because
it is the prime example of pre-Evans
technology, allowing the interested
observer to clearly understand the
extraordinary impact that Oliver Evans’s
inventions, through their addition to
the existing "state of the art”
machinery, had on milling technology.
Here is an opportunity to preserve the
most complete example of this milling
system known to exist.
- Stephen J. Kindig, Historical
Molinologist |
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