Call Number:

01

Repository:

Wissahickon Valley Watershed Association

Extent:

0.75 linear feet

Language:

English

Date:

1851-1920 (inclusive)

Creator:

Mumbower's Mill (Gwynedd Valley, Pa.)

Abstract:

Mumbower's Mill, also known as the Evans-Mumbower Mill and the Keefe-Mumbower Mill, is an historic grist mill in Gwynedd Valley, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania. It was operated by Henry Mumbower (1826-1892) and his sons, David Mumbower (1856-1930) and Henry Mumbower, Jr., from 1858 until about 1930. The Mumbower's Mill ledgers, 1851-1920, consist of 10 volumes. Most are chronologically-ordered daybooks, but there are also a few alphabetically-ordered account books.

Mumbower's Mill, also known as the Evans-Mumbower Mill and the Keefe-Mumbower Mill, is an historic grist mill in Gwynedd Valley, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania.

The earliest mill on the location of Mumbower's Mill was a saw mill and fulling mill constructed by Abraham Evans in 1745. It changed hands several times before it was demolished and replaced by a new mill, probably in the early 1800s, which still stands today. This mill was acquired by Henry Mumbower (1826-1892) in 1858, and the mill remained in the family until about 1930. Henry's son, David Mumbower (1856-1930) operated the mill for most of his life. David's brother, Henry Mumbower, Jr., was also involved. The firm was, at times, known as Henry Mumbower, Henry Mumbower & Sons, D. Mumbower, and D. Mumbower & Bro. Mumbower's Mill was a grist mill, grinding wheat, rye, corn, corn cobs, oats, and other grains.

Mumbower's Mill was one of scores of mills that flourished along the Wissahickon Creek in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. Originally powered by a water wheel, later on the mill was powered by a steam or gasoline engine.

After the Mumbower family's ownership of the mill ended, the building fell into disrepair until the Towamencin Historical Society acquired it in 1984 and initiated repairs. The mill was transferred to the care of the Wissahickon Valley Watershed Association in 1987. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2011.

Bibliography:

Wissahickon Valley Watershed Association. "Evans-Mumbower Mill." Accessed February 26, 2014. http://www.wvwa.org/evansmill/.

This collection consists of ten ledgers from Mumbower's Mill under the operation of the Mumbower family. Most of the volumes are daybooks, also called "grist books," which list transactions chronologically. There are also a few account books, which organize transactions by customer name. Some of the volumes also include loose miscellaneous papers, mostly receipts/invoices and figuring calculations, as well as a few pieces of correspondence and catalog pages. The dates of the volumes are as follows: 1851-1875, 1860-1864, 1869-1874, 1880-1885, 1885-1891, 1891-1897, 1895-1904, 1897-1902, 1897-1920, and 1902-1909. Some volumes are indexed. More detailed inventories are available on-site.