Newlin Grist Mill in Concord Township has a new executive director to replace Tony Shahan, who stepped down earlier this year. The grist mill hired Amy Ricci as its new executive, the fourth person to hold that position in the institution’s nearly 70-year history.
Shahan left the grist mill in September to focus on doing more consulting work. Ricci will assume the leadership role officially in January. She brings extensive experience in historic preservation, nonprofit management, and public programming to the 18th-century site.
“I’m honored to step into the role of executive director at the Newlin Grist Mill,” Ricco said. “This is an extraordinary place where history, nature, and community meet, and I’m excited to help strengthen those connections. I look forward to building meaningful partnerships, elevating the many strengths of this historic 1704 mill site and nature preserve, and expanding programs that invite more people to discover all that the Newlin Grist Mill has to offer.”
Ricci was most recently Executive Director of historic RittenhouseTown, an early industrial village featuring America’s first paper mill. During her time there, she secured the nonprofit’s financial stability. She broadened public participation through creative programming, such as paper making, and built strong relationships with local institutions.
She also achieved Arboretum accreditation for the site, enhancing nature programming. Ricci, who was previously director of preservation services at the Preservation Alliance for Greater Philadelphia, serves on the boards of Historic Germantown and the Abington Arts Center.
According to Diana McCarthy, president of the Nicholas Newlin Foundation, which oversees the working 1704 watermill and its 160-acre nature preserve, “Amy’s depth of experience managing 18th-century properties and developing deep connections with the community through imaginative and appealing programming, along with her high standards in preservation practice will serve Newlin Grist Mill well as we move into a new era of greater community engagement,” said.
Newlin Grist Mill includes a blacksmith’s shop, an 18th-century demonstration kitchen, and extensive rental facilities for weddings, retreats, and other private events, as well as restored wetlands and more than eight miles of walking trails.
“This is a remarkable place, where you can either immerse yourself in living history or simply take a stroll,” said McCarthy. “We want to expand awareness among history buffs and nature lovers alike, and Amy’s appointment is a critical step in making that happen.”
History of the grist mill
As the story goes, it all began in 1683 when Nicholas Newlin, a Quaker from Mountmellick, Ireland, emigrated to Pennsylvania with his family to escape religious persecution. He purchased land from William Penn in Concord Township, near Chester Creek.
In 1704, Nicholas’s son Nathaniel Newlin and his wife Mary Mendenhall built the grist mill on this property. It was the third gristmill in the township and became known as the Concord Flour Mill. The mill was water-powered and served as a vital facility for grinding grain for local farmers, supporting both domestic needs and the export market
The mill ceased operations in 1941 because of a family dispute. In 1960, the Nicholas Newlin Foundation was established to preserve the mill and the surrounding land for public education and recreation. In 1983, the complex was added to the National Register of Historic Places and is now recognized as one of the oldest operational water-powered grist mills from the colonial era in Pennsylvania.
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.
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