Marshallton

By 1767, Solomon Hersey was operating a merchant grist mill in this area along Red Clay Creek. The mill was purchased in 1835 by John Marshall. In the following year, he expanded the operation to rolling mills and the settlement that came to be known as Marshallton was established. The community, although not incorporated, was recognized formally in area maps by the late 19th century. The impact of milling continued to grow when J.R. Bringhurst became the sole owner in 1877 and expanded the rolling mills again. In addition, Bringhurst constructed worker housing facilities nearby to serve approximately 125 employees. Contributing to the area’s industrial growth was the coming of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad during the late 19th century. Due to changing economic conditions in the early 20th century, the industrial focus of Marshallton shifted to the production of vulcanized fiber.