A postcard of the 69th Street Terminal from about 1950. I remember going shopping there with my mom as a young boy before all the malls were built. It was crowded!!
NOTE: Almost all the small towns in Delaware Co. that are now long gone or just memories were started because of mills and businesses.Many of these little towns have been forgotten but some such as Cardington the name still lives on. Below is a description of Cardington from the 1850's.
The Village of Cardington
The village of Cardington
is in the township of Upper Darby, Delaware County, being separated from the
Philadelphia line by Cobbs Creek. It is almost
exclusively a manufacturing village, two large and flourishing mills running
here, and these it is our purpose briefly to describe. That of Whitely Brothers & Company, lies
west of the creek, on the southern end of the village. The firm now comprises John, Edward, Henry,
and Hugh, and was established in 1865; the first firm of the Messrs. Whitely,
established in 1856, comprised Joseph, John, Joshua and John Ashworth. Joshua recently purchased and is now running
a mill at New Hope, Bucks County, Pa.
Joseph is deceased, and John Ashworth is now in partnership with H.S.
Henry, and running a large mill within a stone’s throw, but across the creek on
the Philadelphia side. The mill of the Whitely
Brothers was put up many years ago, and was first used for building
locomotives. Benjamin Gartside first
used it for manufacturing purposes, he being followed by Simeon Lord. The mill comprises two buildings, three and a
half stories high, connected by a gangway.
Three sets of machinery are in use, mostly of American (Wood and
Engle’s) make, upon which are made woolen and cotton jeans and shirtings. There are 74 looms and three mules, turning
out 80,000 to 90,000 yards per month, and employing 70 hands. A Corliss engine, made by Miller & Allen
of Chester, is the motive power used.
Many changes have been made in the mill building since they came into
the possession of the Whitely Brothers, they having, besides completely
renovating all, erected a large dye house, two story dry house and picker
room. They have also, in addition to
those before up, built eighteen houses, mostly of stone, four of brick, and six
of the number three story. All of the
brothers reside on the premises, each in separate dwellings, tastefully located,
two being built of press brick, the others of stone. Their property comprises twenty-seven acres,
on which are thirty buildings, twenty of them three stories in height. Land hereabouts commands $800 per acre, good
building locations about $2500, and when divided into building lots about $4000
per acre. These figures greatly exceed
those obtaining (obtained) when the Whitely Brothers stated, they having shared
the general prosperity of the neighborhood, as well as having contributed
largely toward it. All of them are
practical manufacturers, and each takes charge of separate departments in the
business, thus insuring care in making, and economy in administration. Their mill has been uninterruptedly running
for more than a year, the hard times of the past and present year not having materially
affected them. They are all ‘live’ men,
courteous and affable, and intent upon improvement in their business and
neighborhood. CARDINGTON MILLS – From
this mill the village takes its name. It
is owned and run by Messrs. Wolfenden, Shore & Co., the firm comprising
Jonathan Wolfenden, Jesse Shore and James Wolfenden. They commenced business in the spring of
1857, at which time they occupied a frame building 30 x 40; they subsequently
added 16 feet, and changed the whole building to stone and brick. In 1860, 120 feet were added to the original,
the addition being one story in height.
In ’65 a two-story addition of 40 feet was erected, and the same year
the 120 foot part was changed from one to two stories, the mill not being
stopped, even for an hour, by the change -
a feat in factory building rarely witnessed. The firm are now completing, in place of what
was once framework, a substantial four story stone building, with rooms
averaging in height 10 feet 4 inches, tin roof, and iron doors throughout, the
basement walls being 4 ½ feet thick. It
is a durable structure, and connects with the main mill by iron doors. The entire mill is 250 x 48. Here are made Hillside Kentucky jeans,
plaids, shirtings and woolen jeans, employing 130 hands, 110 looms, 3 mules,
and 1630 cotton spindles, the latter to make warps. All goods are completed, from the raw
material to readiness for the market.
Separate from the main buildings are two frame store rooms, 30 x 30 and
24 x 60; also, a new carpenter shop, approaching completion, 20 x 24. The work on the four-story addition is not
allowed to interfere with that of the mill.
The motive comprises a Corliss engine, built by Miller & Allen, 100
horsepower, with three sets of boilers, mud drum below and steam drum at the
top; also, 30 inch Ohio turbine wheel, driven by Cobbs Creek. The cotton machinery was mostly made by Jenks
and Higgins, the woolen mostly by Engle & Son’s. For protection from fire they have the old
Monroe engine, driven by eccentrics, either by the water wheel or engine. It can throw two streams at a time, each one
100 feet in height. This is the height
of a handsome brick chimney stack, towering 100 feet above the main edifice,
and upon this the engine has been tested.
When the firm first started business but four dwelling houses were
connected with the mill; there are now thirty-six, seventeen being built by the
firm, the others purchased. The Messrs.
Wolfenden, Shore & Company, do business upon the primitive partnership
style, all of the property, real and personal, save only personal effects,
belonging to the firm. This rule extends
to their own dwelling houses, with stable, carriage house, horses and carriages
in common. All of them are enterprising
and pushing men, and they have accomplished much for the neighborhood. They are constantly improving and enlarging
their field of operations, this giving employment to many mechanics of the
vicinity. Cardington is peopled mostly
by those of English nativity or descent, who devote their time and attention
almost exclusively to manufacturing.
Their community as a rule are industrious, thrifty and intelligent. It is one the many busy localities of our
county, and holds its own among our manufacturing districts. Access to the business parts of Philadelphia
is convenient even by passenger cars.
The Colonial Pennsylvania Plantation invites you to Militia Muster and Lock, Stock and Barrell
Display
Saturday, May 29th
11:00
am-4:00 pm
(Last
admission is 3:00 pm)
Join us on Saturday, May 29th for a discussion by local historian Chris Reardon as he presents an in-depth look at the evolution of hunting and military arms from the beginning of European settlement in the Delaware Valley, to the Valley's impact on the arms used as the eastern settlements push westward.
There will be a small colonial muster. In colonial times, a muster was the
gathering of local farmers to drill, work, and socialize with good food and
music. The muster will include long rifle demonstrations, fire starting, hearth
cooking as well as farm chores and our farm animals.
We advise pre-purchasing tickets, and as
always, COVID safety measures will be in place, and masks that cover your nose
and mouth will be required, Purchase tickets in advance by visiting
www.colonialplantation.org
Use GPS address: 3900 N. Sandy Flash
Drive, Newtown Square, PA 1907
The GULF sign was always a landmark.
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