03/15/09

The Evans-Mumbower Mill

The Evans-Mumbower Mill is one of the many mills that were located along the Wissahickon Creek in Montgomery and Philadelphia Counties, in Pennsylvania.  This one is located in Upper Gwynedd Township, in Montgomery County.  This site had been part of an archaeology program, from the years 2000 to 2006.  Check the Web page of this site "The Mill".  While still participating in other activities in support of this historic site, I was asked if I could help locate the path of the headrace and the location of dam that had been used to establish a supply of water for the mill.  Much of the headrace had become part of a housing development and the dam had been dismantled.  One of the volunteers had walked the creek in search of the dam and believed that he had found the location.

On March 9th of 2009, three of us went on a quest for the dam.  I started out with marking the outline of part of the pond using my dowsing rod as a locator. We then went out the headrace marking and taking pictures as we went..  The headrace passed through what is now several back yards.  When we met the high wire  fence of the Upper Gwynedd Sewage Treatment Plant, we went around the front entrance and followed the creek on the other side.  Our team member, and guide pointed out a low spot to be checked, and then another.  The second one had the border lines of the headrace.  I followed it up to the point where the remnant of the dam became visible.  The headrace continued past the dam and turned into a large open area that must have been the pond behind the dam.  We also found that another stream, known as Haines Run emptied into the pond just above the start of the headrace.  I believe that we have found the location of the dam, for sure.  We will do some more studies to enhance our data so that others will also believe.  See the remains of the dam in the photo below.

What Remains of the Evans-Mumbower Dam