Crosley-Garrett Mill Workers' Housing, Store and Mill Site
Also known as: Paper Mill House; Crosley, William Store and Mill Worker's House
Why it's listed
Beside Darby Creek in Newtown Township, Pennsylvania, a stone workers' housing unit built in 1828 stands joined to a store added in 1845. William Crosley built the housing for employees of his woolen mill, which operated from 1828 until a fire in 1861. Casper S. Garrett later built the Union Paper Mill on the north bank, producing wallpaper and card stock until another fire in 1889 destroyed it. The housing holds four family units around a shared central chimney, with corner fireplaces. The store is a small two-story building with a central entrance and 12-over-12 windows. The site is significant for its illustration of the change from hand production to water- and steam-powered factory work in a rural area. Its remaining mill foundations, a basin, anchor bolts and a millrace are considered likely to yield further information about the site. Since 1980 the buildings have been restored as a house museum.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the complex represents the shift from hand-produced goods to factory production in a rural community powered by water and steam, and that it was the largest early industrial complex in the township during the 19th century. It also holds archaeological potential for the mill remains, which are considered likely to yield information about the site's history.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 03000074, listed February 27, 2003. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Paper Mill Rd. and St. David's rd., Newtown Township |
|---|---|
| County | Delaware County |
| Listed | February 27, 2003 |
| Reference number | 03000074 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1828-1889 |
| Architectural style | EARLY REPUBLIC /Federal |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Industry, Historic - Non-Aboriginal |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Restored in the 1980s for use as a house museum by the Newtown Square Historical Preservation Society; the store is described as one space outfitted as a country store. |
| Acreage | 4.4 |
| Coordinates | 40.01934, -75.40415 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For an income-producing building, listing (individually or as a contributing building in a district) is the gateway to the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit on qualified rehabilitation costs, often stackable with state credits. Work claiming the credit must follow the Secretary of the Interior's Standards and be approved in advance.
Listing does not restrict a private owner acting without federal money or permits; where federal funding or licensing is involved, Section 106 review applies.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 03000074.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5188070
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.