Happy New Year from the Mill at Anselma

Dear Friends of the Mill at Anselma,

As we head into the New Year, all of us at the Mill at Anselma would like to take a moment to reflect on the past year and thank you for your continued support. We are deeply grateful for your enthusiasm and commitment, which make our work possible and help preserve this special place for future generations.

Seasonal Update
The Mill is now closed for the winter and will reopen in spring 2026. While the building is closed, the trails remain open to the public from dawn to dusk, and we encourage you to enjoy the property throughout the winter months.

Our Volunteers Make It All Possible
At the heart of all this work are our volunteers. Their time, dedication, and passion for preserving the Mill at Anselma make our programs, events, and preservation efforts possible. We are deeply grateful for every volunteer who contributed this year.

If you are interested in volunteering your time with us, we would love to hear from you. You can learn more and sign up here:

A Year of Progress and Preservation
This past year was an exciting and productive one for the Mill at Anselma. Thanks to generous community support and key partnerships, we completed several important maintenance and improvement projects, including:

• Replacement of the roof at the Visitor Center through a matching grant from America 250 PA, with support from Essential Utilities and individual donors

• New floodlights to improve safety and visibility

• An updated second-floor ramp to improve accessibility

• New interpretive signage across the property sharing the story of the Mill and the families who lived and worked here, generously funded by Dr. and Mrs. Donald J. Rosato

We are especially grateful for this meaningful gift. Dr. and Mrs. Donald J. Rosato, who passed away recently, were devoted supporters of the Mill, and their generosity ensures that visitors can continue to learn from and connect with Anselma’s history for years to come.

Growing Support for the Mill
We are proud to share that our capital campaign has raised $82,000 over the past two years, a significant milestone that strengthens the future of the Mill. In addition, our annual Cider Fest was a great success, raising $4,000 in support of preservation and programming efforts.

Engaging Programs and Community Connections
Education, outreach, and accessibility remained central to our mission this year. Highlights included:

• Four well-attended public lectures exploring the history of the area, the Mill’s role in the region, and the engineering behind colonial milling

• The addition of colonial baking demonstrations in the beehive oven to our regular programming, offering visitors a hands-on way to experience everyday life in the 18th century

• Visits from school groups who participated in interactive, hands-on demonstrations of colonial-era milling

• The launch of our redesigned website in 2025, making it easier for visitors to learn about the Mill, explore its history, and stay connected with upcoming programs

We were also excited to work with news and media outlets, including WHYY, local radio stations, and online platforms, to share the history and significance of the Mill with wider audiences.

Maintaining a Living, Working Mill
Since the end of September, we have been unable to offer milling demonstrations due to unexpected mechanical issues. Because the Mill at Anselma is a historic, working mill, addressing these challenges required consultation with a millwright engineer who specializes in historic mills to properly diagnose and repair the issue.

These efforts reflect our ongoing commitment to keeping Anselma a living, working mill that offers hands-on experiences for the public, rather than simply a building or museum. Preserving this functionality requires specialized expertise and continued care.

Looking Ahead to 2026
As America approaches its 250th anniversary in 2026, the Mill at Anselma is preparing for a busy and meaningful year of programming and celebration. This quincentennial moment offers an extraordinary opportunity to highlight the Mill’s role in our nation’s history and to welcome new audiences to experience it firsthand.

We encourage you to keep an eye on our calendar, newsletter, social media, and website for updates on new programs, special events, and ways to participate throughout this milestone year.

Thank You and How You Can Help
We are incredibly grateful for the continued support of our community. If you would like to help ensure that the Mill remains operational and continues to offer hands-on educational experiences, we invite you to consider making a donation through our website. Any level of support is deeply appreciated and directly supports the Mill’s mission.

From all of us at the Mill at Anselma, thank you for being part of our story. We look forward to welcoming you back in the spring and sharing another meaningful year together.

Warm wishes for the New Year,
The Mill at Anselma Team