Industrial Power

The Brandywine River drops 33 feet from the upper dam at Eleutherian Mills to the dam visible here, and this potential power led E. I. du Pont to locate his gunpowder works there. The du Ponts built dams and raceways to carry water to waterwheels and turbines, and the powder works depended mainly on waterpower during 120 years of operation. Until the coming of steam power, industrial operations were largely confined to the banks of the Brandywine. With the installation of steam engines in the 1850s, new areas of the property were opened to mill construction. The use of steam power expanded after the opening of a steam plant on the hill above in 1884. With the development of hydroelectric power in the 1890s, the river became another primary power source. In 1900, turbines in the gray building to the right used waterpower to generate electricity for lighting mills, offices, homes and churches.

Delaware · United States