CASE Thistle Mill Ilchester Maryland
History / Background
The Thistle Manufacturing Company, commonly known as Thistle Mill, was established in 1824 along the Patapsco River near Ilchester, Maryland. Founded by Scottish merchants Alexander Fridge and the Morris brothers, George and William, the mill marked a significant shift from flour milling to cotton processing in the region. The Ellicott family, prominent local millers, sold the land to the founders with the stipulation that it not be used for competing flour mills.
By 1837, the company had constructed a substantial cotton mill and silk production facility using locally quarried stone. The mill employed approximately 100 workers and included several stone buildings to support laborers and a general store.
Throughout its operation, Thistle Mill underwent several ownership and production changes. In 1882, the company expanded by purchasing the Ilchester flour mill, though it lost the facility in receivership by 1892. In 1919, Edward A.A. Blakeney acquired the plant, transitioning it to cotton duck production and electrifying operations by 1925. The Bartgis Brothers Company purchased the factory in 1928, converting it for paper production. Simkins Industries, Inc. later acquired the mill, focusing on recycled paper products until its closure in 2003.
The mill’s history is marked by several tragedies and challenges. In 1895, then-owner W.H. Kerr drowned while attempting to rescue his son in Annapolis. The facility also faced natural disasters, including significant damage from Hurricane Agnes in 1972, followed by a four-alarm fire just months later. Despite these setbacks, the mill resumed operations within its ruins.
In June 2003, a devastating fire led to the plant’s closure after 46 years of operation as a paper recycling facility. Subsequent fires in 2009 and December 2011 further damaged the site. In 2012, Simkins Industries announced plans to sell the historic factory and its 55 acres, leading to the complex’s demolition in 2013.
The Thistle Mill site holds a complex legacy, reflecting both industrial progress and the human costs associated with it. While the laborers at the mill were free workers, these mills relied on enslaved labor to produce cotton. Investors took advantage of slavery to propel industrial growth and secure profit. The legacy of the site, then, is twofold: it is both a beacon of American industrialism and a reminder of our challenging past.
Today, the site of Thistle Mill stands as a testament to the region’s industrial heritage. While the physical structures have been removed, the history of Thistle Mill remains integral to understanding the development of industry in the Patapsco River Valley and the broader narrative of American industrialization.
