You know it today as a living history heritage site and popular tourist attraction in Harford County, Maryland. Standing out as one of the state’s oldest, still intact mill villages, a visit to the historic Jerusalem Mill site lets you get a quick glimpse of what living in a small working community in the late 18th through early 20th centuries was like.
Additionally, Jerusalem Mill Village plays host to plenty of special events and seasonal offerings. This Sunday, December 17 in fact, there will be an already-sold-out combination A Christmas Carol Performance and Tea ticketed engagement taking place onsite between 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Despite its well-known status as a historic site, there are surprisingly few people who truly know of Jerusalem Mill’s extensive and enduring history. That’s why for this Flashback Friday Feature I’m taking a closer look into some of the developmental milestones behind Jerusalem Mill Village’s lasting legacy, starting from its most basic beginnings on through its success in adapting to changing times.
Once known as “Lee’s Merchant Mill,” most historical records officially date the founding of Jerusalem Mill Village as being in the year 1772. While this date verifies the antiquity of Jerusalem Mill having exited even before the official establishment of the United States as an independent nation, the actual story of the land begins much earlier. It was in 1687 that the 318-acre tract of land known as “Jerusalem” was patented to Nicholas Hampstead and John Walley. Later, in 1743, it was acquired by ironmaster Stephan Onion and expanded to encompass 368 acres, including several outbuildings. Ownership of the land again changed in 1750 when Onion died and his nephew Zacheas Barrett Onion acquired the property. It was at this time that Zacheas Barrett Onion contacted two Quakers from Bucks County about constructing a merchant grist mill onsite, in hopes of improving nearby ironworks and other area mills. So, in 1769, millwright Isaiah Linton and miller David Lee moved here, eventually establishing eight water-powered mills along the Little Gunpowder River. In truth, Jerusalem Mill was just one of 18 mills constructed by Linton, but it remains among the most important early mills in Harford County and the largest one in the state.
Following the completion of Jerusalem Mill in August of 1772, David Lee started milling flour under the “White Silk” label onsite. Much of that product was shipped as far and wide as the Caribbean. So, in no time at all, mill operations were booming, and an entire milling village was established. The newly emerging town saw several additional businesses eventually take shape in conjunction with the original merchant milling operations. These included a blacksmith shop, cooperage, wheelwright, general store/post office, and a sawmill.
The cooperage was sometimes alternately referred to as the “gun shop” due to the important role it played throughout the American Revolutionary War in the production of gunstocks for the Maryland Militia. Later on, the building housed several other operations, including a cabinetmaker’s shop, a cannery, a cider press, and even a private residence. Today, it is known as the Miller’s House and is used for living history demonstrations, like open-hearth cooking and gunsmithing.
McCourtney’s General Store was also the site of a historic crossfire of sorts. It was here, during the American Civil War, that a band of Confederate Cavalry under the command of Colonel Harry W. Gilmor “requisitioned” nearly $1,000 worth of goods and horses.
Through the good times and the challenging ones though, Jerusalem Mill Village maintained a strong, enduring entrepreneurial spirit. An ability to adapt to constantly evolving technological advances and changing times in combination with the multifaceted services being offered throughout the community enabled work and life here to continue thriving for an impressive almost two-century tenure. The successful onsite operations even outlasted those of many competing businesses both locally and nationally.
Jerusalem Mill continued onsite operations until 1961, when it was bought by the State of Maryland and made part of the newly established (in 1959) Gunpowder Falls State Park. Jerusalem Mill now even serves as the official headquarters and visitor center for Gunpowder Falls State Park and, as mentioned previously, plays host to numerous regularly occurring and special seasonal living history events.
The vast majority of outbuildings and other famed historical callouts still dotting the grounds here were primarily built throughout the late 1700s and the 1800s. Many have been restored, preserved, and added to the National Register of Historic Places, including the Blacksmith Forge, Grist Mill, McCourtney’s General Store, the Miller’s House, Tenant House, Bank Barn, Jerusalem Mansion, the two-story Smokehouse/Dairy, Springhouse, and others. The now-famous Jericho Covered Bridge, which is one of six remaining covered bridges in Maryland (built in 1865) is also located adjacent to the main historic site.
Jerusalem Mill Village may no longer be operating as a mill town, but it remains a widely popular Harford County attraction, open daily to visitors. Discover more about events and other onsite happenings throughout the year, as well as general information like hours and directions by visiting the website at www.jerusalemmill.org.