Waterloo Avenue

Ramble Fourth

his Avenue takes its name from Waterloo Mills, about one and half miles south from the Devon Inn. The mills and hamlet are situated in a romantic valley where the road crosses the Darby Creek. Locally this hamlet is known as Cabbagetown since fifty or sixty years ago; the miller who ground the grist for the farmers near about, had little scruples as to the amount of grain he retained for his toll, and they were very fortunate if they received half back. These peculations became so notorious that naturally the miller’s custom fell off and he left the place. The name of Cabbagetown, however, by which it had become commonly known, clings to the locality. A post office was established here in 1853, under the official name of Waterloo Mills, but it was discontinued September 25th, 1867.

Another mile south brings us to the Newtown and Paoli Road. A large building with a mansard roof, which we will see to the left after passing the intersection, is the old Thomas House (remodeled), notes as being the last stronghold of the Seventh Day Baptist’s in Southeastern Pennsylvania.

On the Darby at Waterloo Mills

Six or Eight minutes’ drive further toward Newtown Square, and we pass the Old Square. It was in the building on the southwest corner of this intersection that Benjamin West’s father kept a tavern for many years, and there the celebrated painter passed his boyhood days. In the small Sabbatarian cemetery in front of the Baptist Church, on the left, rests under the raised marble tomb, the mother of General Anthony Wayne.

A short distance ahead on the right we pass the Old Newtown Friends’ Meeting House, part of the walls dating from the 17th century. At Newtown Square the West Chester Road is reached - just half way between West Chester and Philadelphia. Now our path leads directly to Media and Chester. It is known as the Providence Road, and passes through romantic vale’s, enchanting scenes meeting us at every turn. The Old Mill on the Crum, of which we show an illustration, is situated on this road, two miles from Newtown Square.

If we turn to the west at the Square, a short drive toward West Chester will bring us to that remarkable upheaval of unstratified rocks called Castle Rock; here in the caves the notorious Revolutionary outlaw, Captain Fritz, had his hiding place. Opposite Castle Rock the Crum forms a romantic valley, locally known as Hatch’s Hollow, and said to be haunted, the mill as well as a number of tenement houses having fallen into decay for want of occupancy.

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