Tours resume at Pennsbury hydroelectric mill

Posted by Rich Schwartzman on April 17, 2009

Students from Unionville Elementary School toured the Pennsbury hydroelectric mill Thursday, marking the third consecutive year for the tours.

The tours are part of the fourth-grade science curriculum in the Unionville-Chadds Ford School District.

Teacher Jenny Dickinson said the field trip is a great thing for the students.

“It’s great. It’s very interactive. It’s a great thing for them to see. I think the [four stations] are great so the students can go around in small groups and understand everything,” she said.

The four stations were areas where the students could learn about energy in general, different types of motors, how water powers the mill and, of course, seeing the actual operation of the mill as it generates electricity.

Those stations were manned by township volunteers, plus people from Exelon and students and staff from the Williamson Free School of Mechanical Trades of Media.

In addition to electricity, Dickinson said her students are just beginning to learn about motion and design, land and water and renewable resources.

Most students said simply that the mill was “cool.” But others called it “energy efficient and it doesn’t hurt the environment.”

The mill was opened to fourth-grade tours two tears ago after several years of renovation. Pennsbury Historical Preservation Inc., a nonprofit organization, spent more than $100,00 to restore the property and get the mill working and producing energy, after the Dawson family deeded the site on Fairville Road to the township.

It was built in 1919 but obsolete by 1930.

Karen Wood, township supervisors and president of the Pennsbury Historical Preservation Inc., a nonprofit organization, said she’d like to see more volunteers come out and help with tours.

About Rich Schwartzman

Rich Schwartzman has been reporting on events in the greater Chadds Ford area since September 2001 when he became the founding editor of The Chadds Ford Post. In April 2009 he became managing editor of ChaddsFordLive. He is also an award-winning photographer.