Hagley

Tuesday, May 23…

Brandywine Creek

On to New Jersey. But on the way we’ll visit one more duPont site. The Hagley Museum, Library and Powder Works is where the family story begins. During the French Rev, Éleuthère (E. I.) duPont fled to America with his father and brother. Like many duPonts after him, E.I. had a penchant for chemistry (explosives, in his case), and in 1802 he started what would become a highly regarded (and highly lucrative) gunpowder works along Brandywine Creek near Wilmington, Delaware. The location is beautiful in its own right, and the “factory” was ahead of its time in technique and concern for safety. We enjoyed beautifully detailed dioramas of each step of the powder-making process and saw machines run by water wheel, water turbine, and steam.

Sluice gate opened, reservoir full...

and overflowing. Now the rope
drive is turning the line shaft
in the machine shop, & tools work!

2 steel cones + leather belt +
shift lever (out of sight) =
first variable-speed drive!

Two 8-ton cast iron rollers do final pulverizing.

After a good lunch on the premises, we said good-bye to PA/DEL and set the GPS for Marlton NJ, which will give us access to Philadelphia.  We've tried to contact this Elks Club but had no response. Fingers crossed that there's a spot for us.