Address/Contact Info The Mill at Anselma 610-827-1906 1730 Conestoga Road P. O. Box 42 Chester Springs, PA 19425 Website Email Map It!

The Mill at Anselma Preservation and Educational Trust

Organization - Non Profit

Description Witness flour milling demonstrations and purchase our stone ground flour!

Introduction Built by Samuel Lightfoot in 1747—the first of eight grist mills in Pikeland Township—the Mill at Anselma quickly became the community center for Chester Springs’ early residents. As times changed, so too did the Mill; over its 300-year history, its focus of operation evolved from wheat flour to animal feed to activities like cider pressing and machine repair, depending on the changing needs of the community it served. The Mill at Anselma is an extraordinary example of a custom water-powered grist mill, with its wooden power train completely intact and still functioning much like it did when the Mill was first built. Today, the Mill at Anselma, a National Historic Landmark, inspires people in creative ways to discover its authentic technology and its long record of service to the community. The Mill connects visitors with America’s rich industrial and agricultural past through tours, milling demonstrations, and sale of its own stone ground flour. Unlike flour produced at modern mills, Anselma’s stone ground flour naturally retains the healthy nutrients found in whole grains. The Mill is licensed by the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture, and its wheat and shelled corn are purchased from Pennsylvania farms, including certified organic sources. Experience the gentle rhythm of the Mill’s turning wooden gears and millstones as they mill wheat into flour. Flour milling demonstrations are hands-on family fun! Help the miller sift freshly ground flour, and explore how millers relied on water as a power source. Milling days also highlight other craft and food traditions, including blacksmithing, ice-cream making, and bread-baking demonstrations. The Mill is open Saturdays and Sundays, April 12-December 22, with milling demonstrations once a month. For a complete schedule of upcoming events, as well as our new gift catalog, please visit the Mill’s website at www.anselmamill.org or call (610) 827-1906. The Mill is located at 1730 Conestoga Road in Chester Springs, 1/2 mile west of Rt. 113. Areas of Specialty The Mill at Anselma is licensed by the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture to sell its stone-ground flour and dark roasted cornmeal, all milled on-site at the National Historic Landmark grist mill. New in 2008, the Mill will now offer organic flour and cornmeal. The Mill offers a wide array of recipes to try with its flour products. Our milling demonstration days offer hands-on family fun as children and adults alike can explore the art of milling flour. Whether you are part of a group, or an individual looking to learn more about this tradition, tours of the site and the mill itself are available every weekend. Classes/Programs Milling Demonstration Days and Programs for the 2008 Season: April 12, Opening Day and Milling Demonstration, with blacksmith demonstration by Don Plummer. May 17, Milling Demonstration, and "Anselma Goes Organic." Farmer's Market Preview; Wheat weaving demonstration by Linda Beiler; Bread baking by Marilyn Crossan. June 14, Milling demonstration and tinsmithing demonstration by Win Harrison. June 21, "Swing Into Summer at the Mill at Anselma," 6 – 9 pm. See more equipment operating in the Mill than ever before! Music by the West Chester Swing Kings and delicious Barbeque. ($35 Members, $40 Non-members) July 12, Milling demonstration; 18th Century Ice Cream Making by Susan Plaisted with discount coupons to the Chester Springs Creamery. August 9, Milling demonstration and 18th Century Cheese Making by Clarissa Dillon. September 13, Oliver Evans Day – Celebrating the accomplishments of this American inventor on the day of his birth. Milling demonstration featuring a special run of the Mill’s elevators. Book signing party for new Children’s Book about the Mill at Anselma written by Carolyn Eaglehouse and illustrated by Dru Kring. September 20, The Mill’s Annual Fall Auction at the home of Maurice and Dru Kring. October 11, Milling demonstration and hands-on Applesauce Making with Cooking For Real. Hot Cider from Vollmecke Orchards. November 8, Milling demonstration and 18th century baking demonstration by Past Masters, as well as 21st century bread baking by Marilyn Crossan. December 6, Holiday Grind. ANSELMA FARMERS AND ARTISANS MARKET AT THE MILL! The Anselma Farmers and Artisans Market will run at the Mill on Wednesdays, 2pm – 7 pm starting June 4th. It will feature farm fresh, local and organic produce and locally handcrafted goods. Check www.anselmamill.org for more details! Support Our Work BUY STONE GROUND FLOUR and enjoy a taste of history! The Mill offers a variety of stone ground flour products including bread flour, pastry flour, and dark roasted cornmeal, all milled on-site as this historic grist mill. UNIQUE GIFTS WITH LOCAL FLAVOR! Be sure to pick up our gift catalog featuring flours, mixes and samplers from the Mill at Anselma. Proceeds support our programs and operations. So as you enjoy cookies, cakes and breads baked with Anselma's flour, also enjoy knowing that you are preserving a National Historic Landmark. BECOME A MEMBER! Membership with the Mill at Anselma makes you an active partner in the Mill's preservation. Members visit the Mill for free, receive newsletters and event invitations, and discounts in the Mill's Gift Shop. VOLUNTEER at the Mill at Anselma. The Mill depends on a team of enthusiastic individuals who devote countless hours to the its preservation and operation. Volunteers operate and maintain the Mill's historic machinery, share its rich heritage with visitors, and keep the Mill's landscape looking great! Availability The Mill at Anselma is open for tours April 12-August on Saturdays, 10am to 4pm, and Sundays 1pm to 4pm. From September through December 22, our hours are Saturdays and Sundays 1pm to 4pm. Our admission prices for regular tour days are $4 for adults, $3 for Seniors (60+), and $2 for Children ages 6-17. Children under six and members visit FREE! Our admission prices for Milling Demonstration Days are $5 for Adults, $4 for Seniors (60+), and $3 for Children ages 6-17. Children under six and members visit FREE! Travel Details The Mill at Anselma is located at 1730 Conestoga Road (Rt. 401), 1/2 mile west of Rt. 113 in Chester Springs, PA. Our mailing address is P. O. Box 42, Chester Springs, PA 19425. Please call (610) 827-1906 for information and directions, or visit www.anselmamill.org. Testimonials "Simply stated, I have never found an example to equal this Mill. Whereas there are several partial examples extant, the Mill at Anselma is the only one complete in all the necessary machinery -- of the 'Wooden Age' . . . The Mill is of great importance because it is the prime example of pre-Evans technology, allowing the interested observer to clearly understand the extraordinary impact that Oliver Evans’s inventions, through their addition to the existing 'state of the art' machinery, had on milling technology. Here is an opportunity to preserve the most complete example of this milling system known to exist." - Stephen J. Kindig, Historical Molinologist

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