Stanton: A Town Long Asleep [Not] Beginning to Wake Up

While researching some of the mills in the Stanton area, I came across a story in the Wilmington newspaper The Daily Republican, which ran on January 27, 1887. Ok, it's really not so much of a "story" as it is part love letter to and part Chamber of Commerce propaganda about the village of Stanton. Stories like this were not totally uncommon, and I suppose they gave the paper's mostly urban readers a taste of what the outlying towns and villages were like. Maybe they sometimes go overboard, and feel like they should end with "Schedule your next trip there today!!!"

Instead of showing the original article (which can be hard to read here), here following is a transcription of the entire piece. Some of the people and places may be familiar to you, or they may not. Afterwards I'll have a few things to say about the article (because, of course I will). Here it is in all its glory:

Stanton stands on a high eminence at the junction of White Clay and Red Clay Creeks, most admirably located for pleasant residences and for manufacturing facilities. But few towns in the state have the advantages that Stanton has, and yet there are none that have neglected to improve those advantages as Stanton has. 

The P. W. & B. Railroad, a great trunk line road, runs but three quarters of a mile from the heart of the village and yet it has failed to infuse progressive life into the apparently sleepy town. No better water powers can be found than is afforded by the creeks named. Red Clay Creek is navigable for lighters and small schooners up to Tatnall’s flouring mill site nearly at the center of town. 

This mill, one of the oldest flouring mills in the state and at one time the centre of a large trade, is now in ruins from a fire that occurred about a year ago. The water power, however, is still there and it is one of the best in the country. Such a place cannot be left long in neglect. It is said that parties are already negotiating for the erection of large manufactories on the old site. 

It will be a glad sight to the Stanton people to see new mills rise up Phoenix like from the ashes of the past. 

Stanton has an old history. The old stone house standing in the centre of the village, once the leading hotel of the country, antedates the revolution, and like all old public houses in the country is said one time to have been the resting place of General Washington while he was watching the landing of the British at Elk River, and as they spread over the country on their way to Chadds’ Ford, where they found that Americans could not only fight but die in defence of their country. 

Could the walls of this old towering stone building speak out what tales could be told of olden times, of merry good cheer, when jolly host and good natured guests exchanged tales, that often thrilled the blood. Attached to this ancient building are four or more acres of land, now ready to be staked off in building lots. These are the first building lots offered for sale in Stanton for many a year, and the sentiment has been that Stanton could not improve as there were no building lots for sale. This excuse will exist no longer. From thirty to forty building lots are now for sale. 

Stanton will now have a chance to spread herself. The village lies about midway between Kiamensi  and the P. W. & B. depot, at each end of which places the Kiamensi Woolen Mills Company have large manufactories. Edward Cranston also has a woolen mill near the centre of the village, turned by the waters of White Clay Creek. The Baltimore and Ohio Railroad runs back of the village about three quarters of a mile. Thus, with two main trunkline railroads skirting it, woolen manufactories near each end of it, another woolen mill near the centre, and a great water power in front of it. Stanton must spring into new life. The village contains some thirty of forty dwellings, plain but neat, substantial homes of mill employees, mechanics and merchants. But a few years ago Stanton had no place of worship but the little plain Friends meeting house, which is now almost without worshipers. 

The two Cranston brothers, James and Benjamin, however, faithful to the peaceful principles of Fox, are always in their places, often nobody but themselves in close and silent communion with their Maker, but on seventh days their little meeting is increased to a dozen or two worshipers.

A very neat Presbyterian church and a still more neat and commodious M. E. church have in later years been erected. Rev. Mr. Nelson, in charge at Newport, preaches in the Methodist church, but the Presbyterian church is at present unsupplied. 

Jacob Hyatt, well known in Wilmington, keeps the village hotel; Benjamin Dickey, C. H. Dickey and Mrs. Walter Mitchell keep general merchandizing. Joseph H. Chambers has the village smithery and deals in hardware phosphates, grain and agricultural implements. He intends to build a warehouse for the shipment of grain at the station at the Newark Road and the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad. John Narvil for 23 years has pounded on the artificial understandings of the men, women and children of Stanton, and he turns out no shoddy boots and shoes. Joseph Kirk is the village postmaster, and besides keeps a cigar and tobacco store. 

Mr. Kirk has successfully interested himself in raising a stock company for the building of a hall for public meetings and for society meetings in the village, the first story of which will be used by himself for a postoffice and a store. All that the stockholders want now is a lot upon which to build their hall. This want will soon be supplied. 

Stanton is believed by everybody to be on the eve of an industrial revolution that will bring it out in flying colors, free from every taint of old fogyism, and there is nobody in Stanton but what wishes this may be so.

A lot of interesting information, huh, even if it's seen through far-too-rose-colored glasses. The biggest problem is that this was written in 1887, and that was pretty near the end of the age of water-powered mills. Yes, Stanton was well-positioned water wise, and that helped in its founding and growth for the first 200 years. However, by the late 1800's mills and factories were increasingly steam (and soon, electrically) powered, which allowed for larger sizes and more convenient placement of the facilities. Sadly, Stanton's mill seats were pretty much irrelevant by that point. Only the Kiamensi mills would continue to operate for a few more decades, mostly because they had converted to steam and were conveniently located along the two rail lines.

The Tatnall mill (at the end of Mill Road) would not be rebuilt. Edward Cranston's woolen mill was located directly behind where the Walgreens is now, across from the end of Telegraph Road. It would burn two more times after this article, in 1888 and for the final time in 1890. I hope to have a post with more information about this mill in the near future.

The public hall would be built the following year, sometime between March and June 1888. It was on the south side of Route 4, on the west side of Elm Street. I may have more about this, too, coming soon. I think it was later known as the Stanton Grange Hall, and was perhaps torn down around 1970, at the same time as the Old Stone/Riseing Sun Hotel, later the home and office of Dr. Carroll. The hall would have been in the northeastern corner of what's now the gas station lot.