Three Mill Creek’s Valley and Industries
The Harriton/Pyle Mill, Mislabeled as Robert’s Old Mill, Bryn Mawr
Areas that had sufficient clean water and sloping topography that produced rushing streams — conditions that were necessary to turn the waterwheels that powered the machinery in the mills — were the first to be settled and developed. Lower Merion’s early settlers quickly realized the potential of Mill Creek as a perfect location for such mills. Before the Civil War and the advent of the steam era, many of Lower Merion’s creeks hummed with the activity from over two-dozen mills. Over its lifespan, the Harriton Mill was used as grinding mill, sawmill, and produced plaster.
Bryn Mawr, Mill Creek
Itinerate photographers, whose creations were passed on to postcard publishers, were often unfamiliar with the region and the boundaries of neighborhoods. As a result, many postcards were wrongly labeled. Here, we have two postcards of the same subject matter — one labeled Bryn Mawr and one labeled Ardmore. Most of the following Mill Creek scenes are actually in Gladwyne — but it is all too easy for these boundaries to become convoluted so far from the crisp zones of the business districts.
Bryn Mawr, Mill Creek
(see previous caption)
Bryn Mawr, Mill Creek
This dam is one of many up and down Mill Creek that were built to create millponds and to control water volume. This dam was constructed adjacent to Black Rock Road to create Dove Lake, which is near the open field identified as the Black Rocks — one of the more lovely spots in the Township.
The Old Sheetz Mill on Mill Creek
At the corner of Old Gulph Road and Mill Creek stands the ruins of one of the longest-run mills in the region. For over a hundred years, generations of the Scheetz family produced paper of various qualities. Today, only remnants of the foundation walls mark its location.
“Ye Olde Grist Mill,” Ardmore, Built 1746
Roberts is one of the most prominent family names in the history of Lower Merion. One of the first Europeans to settle in Pennsylvania, John Roberts arrived in Lower Merion in 1684 and quickly set up a gristmill on this site. Early settlers allegedly traveled miles to have Roberts transform their grain into flour. Sixty-two years later, in 1746, Roberts’ grandson, John Roberts III, built a new gristmill on the same site. The ruins of this structure still exist today along Old Gulph Road and include a 1746 date stone over a former doorway. The millrace that channeled water to the waterwheel that ran the mill still remains behind the foundation ruins.
The Roberts House, Mill Creek Road, Ardmore, Built 1771
Along this stretch of Mill Creek Road was the John Roberts’s Mill, which was comprised of a complex of buildings and waterways. The house to the left was not actually the Roberts’ house, as indicated by the postcard label, but rather was housing for the mill workers. Not pictured, but close by, is the real homestead of the Roberts family.
Old Log Cabin on Mill Creek Drive, Ardmore, Built 1690
Known as the “1690 House,” this structure still stands at its original location at the corner of Mill Creek and Old Gulph Roads. It is believed that at least a portion of the building was the first residence of John Roberts. In later years, it was used as housing for the men who worked Roberts Mill. A 1690 date stone was added under the roof peak in 1900. Today it used as a single-family residence.
Rudolph’s Row Houses, Belmont Hills
Workers for the Ashland Paper Mill, and a few from Pencoyd Iron Works, rented these rowhouses from Sebastian Rudolph. An open stretch between the houses and the Green Lane Bridge was often used for boxing matches, carnivals, and gypsy encampments. The majority of the workers’ complex was demolished in the 1950s during the construction of the Schuylkill Expressway.
Pencoyd Iron Works, As Seen from Mouth of Wissahickon Creek
Located along the west bank of the Schuylkill River, the Pencoyd Iron Works started as a manufacturer of railroad axles. By 1859, the business expanded to include the manufacture of iron and steel bridges. By 1883, its footprint encompassed 80 acres, including 2 miles of railroad tracks, and produced products at a capacity of 35,000 tons per year. There were over 700 employees, and the company owned between 50 and 60 dwellings that were used as workforce housing. In 1900, they merged with the American Bridge Company, then a major component of the United States Steel Corporation. The business was liquidated in 1944 after years of decline.
Pencoyd Iron Works Baseball Team, 1920
Some industries, including Pencoyd, were so large they had their own police departments, fire departments, and sports teams that operated completely separate from the municipal structure. Baseball was one of the many great recreational pastimes in the Lower Merion area. Teams were common and their games drew large crowds. The “Main Line” League included such club teams as J & J Dobson, Autocar, Warwick, and R.G. Dun & Company.
Philadelphia — Bird’s Eye View of Manayunk
While the title infers that major focus of this photograph is the town of Manayunk, the central subject is actually the Schuylkill River. The river separated Manayunk from West Manayunk and was a superhighway for a variety of industries. Both towns were oriented around the riverfronts because this waterway made prosperity and employment possible for the local residents.
Autocar Works, Ardmore
The crown jewel of Lower Merion’s local industries was the Autocar Company. Founded in 1900 by brothers Louis and John Clarke, Autocar was one of the early pioneers in the manufacture of cars and trucks. For more than 50 years, its factory was the center of activity in downtown Ardmore.
The Autocar Company, Ardmore
The factory complex was located along Lancaster and Greenfield Avenues and had more than 17 acres that was used to manufacture and assemble their trucks. The company employed thousands of men and women, who assembled vehicles according to the customer’s specifications, be they fire engines, coal trucks, moving vans, or school buses. The center building depicted in the postcard is the administration building. The personal message reads: “Everywhere you look there is nothing but Autocars. Some place this! Con. October 9, 1915.”
The Autocar Company, Ardmore
(see previous caption)
Autocar plant, Ardmore
During the 1940s, the factory built over 10,000 trucks and other military vehicles for the war effort. The plant closed in 1953 when White Motor Company bought Autocar and moved the plant to Exton, Pennsylvania. A dramatic fire of the complex occurred in 1956 during demolition by the Cleveland Wrecking Company. Autocar vehicles, now collector’s items, are renowned for their simplicity, innovation, and durability.
1903 Autocar Postcard Advertisement
A rare image of an Autocar passenger vehicle, which the company produced for only 10 years. The firm stopped building passenger cars after 1911 in order to focus on its growing truck business. Following are notes on the model from the Long Island Automotive Museum: “Rear Entrance Tonneau, Type 8. Price New: $1,700. Built by the oldest manufacturer of motor vehicles still in business in the United States, the Autocar was a quality-built light vehicle…Top speed was about 25mph, but at that clip the Autocar — with its unusual steering handle — was difficult to control.”
Autocar Advertisement
The distribution and sale of Autocar products was not just a local enterprise — their specialized trucks had national appeal. Quality control and customer satisfaction were important to their business. Therefore, Autocar did not franchise the sales and distribution departments; every outlet and showroom was owned by the company, which guaranteed a connection with the customer and ensured product quality. From 1923 to 1927, Autocar even offered an electric vehicle, which had a top speed of 12 mph. The model was mainly used for delivery trucks in urban areas.
Autocar Fire Company
The protection of property and the safety of the employees were always concerns, so Autocar, like many other heavy industrial complexes of its time, had their own fire department. However, since the Merion Fire Company was next door to the complex, Autocar retired their company soon after this photograph was taken.