The Powder Yard

This site was once part of the largest manufactory of gunpowder in the United States. The DuPont Company built this second powder yard on the Hagley property, purchased in 1813, when the original 1803 mills operating upstream could no longer meet the increasing demand for gunpowder. The operation was expanded again in 1837. That location, downstream and on the opposite side of the Brandywine, evolved into the DuPont Experimental Station, the research center where such products as nylon, Tyvek, Kevlar, Corian, and Nomex were created. At the height of production in the Hagley Yard, thirty-three mills were in operation. Today, some mills have been restored to operating condition, some adapted for exhibits and museum activities, and others stabilized to prevent further deterioration.

Delaware · United States