O'Connor, Jim, Kevin W. Cunningham, Ellis C. Coleman, and Thomas W. Brockenbrough, Jr.

1985

Archaeological, Historical, and Architectural Evaluation of the Cantrell Warehouse/Enterprise Mill, State No. 7S-E-37, CRS No. S-2227, Stein Highway, Seaford, Sussex County, Delaware.

Delaware Department of Transportation Archaeology Series No. 33.

According to local folklore, the Enterprise Mill, established sometime in the mid-1800s on Stein Highway, in Seaford, Sussex County, Delaware, was founded and owned by one-time Governor William H. H. Ross (in office 1851-1855). However, based on archival research reported in DelDOT Archaeology Series No. 33, it was determined that the mill was constructed near the turn-of-the-century, and that Governor Ross had not been an owner. The mill was built to take advantage of the extensive grain agriculture in the surrounding rural areas and the excellent transportation facilities provided by the Delaware Railroad. The Enterprise Mill relied on steam power, not water power, and the proximity of transportation facilities was the major factor in site placement. The milling operation failed in the 1940s due to lack of business. This failure reflected a national trend toward the closure of smaller merchant mills during the first third of the 1900s. The consumption of flour by individuals decreased rapidly from 1900 to a low in 1935. Subsequently, the Enterprise Mill structure was converted into a warehouse, the Cantrell Warehouse.

No specific records pertaining to the day-to-day operation of the mill could be located. Furthermore, the original mill works have not survived, and interior alterations have been made to the structure. As a result, little survives that could yield information about the day to day operations of the mill. During the architectural evaluation and recordation, the architecture of the structure was found to be a good representation of terminal brace and frame construction. Archaeological testing was conducted in the lot encompassing the Enterprise Mill structure. Undisturbed deposits of cultural remains were encountered. However, the density of artifacts was very low and no temporally diagnostic artifacts were found. The artifacts were fragmentary and provided little information about the mill operation and technology, or about the workers' habits.