Milford Mills was a village in the Marsh Creek Valley of Chester County, Pennsylvania

Chester County, Pennsylvania

-State parks:*French Creek State Park*Marsh Creek State Park*White Clay Creek Preserve-Demographics:As of the 2010 census, the county was 85.5% White, 6.1% Black or African American, 0.2% Native American or Alaskan Native, 3.9% Asian, 0.0% Native Hawaiian, 1.8% were two or more races, and 2.4% were...

 that was inundated by the construction of the Marsh Creek

Marsh Creek

Marsh Creek may refer to:*Marsh Creek , a tributary of the San Joaquin River*Marsh Creek , a tributary of the Monocacy River in Pennsylvania*Marsh Creek , a tributary of Pine Creek in Pennsylvania...

Dam in 1972.

Milford Mills was one of several farming villages settled by Welsh

Welsh people

The Welsh people are an ethnic group and nation associated with Wales and the Welsh language.John Davies argues that the origin of the "Welsh nation" can be traced to the late 4th and early 5th centuries, following the Roman departure from Britain, although Brythonic Celtic languages seem to have...

, Scots-Irish and English

English people

The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...

 in the first quarter of the 18th century in Upper Uwchlan Township

Upper Uwchlan Township, Pennsylvania

Upper Uwchlan Township is a township in Chester County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 11,227 at the 2010 census. The township included the community of Milford Mills before it was inundated by the creation of the Marsh Creek Dam in 1972....

. Like nearby Lyndell and Dorlan, Milford Mills grew during the 19th century as paper and textile manufacturing flourished. Bypassed by large-scale industry in the late 19th century, the region reverted to an agricultural economy until after World War II

World War II

World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...

 when the Pennsylvania Turnpike

Pennsylvania Turnpike

The Pennsylvania Turnpike is a toll highway system operated by the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, United States. The three sections of the turnpike system total . The main section extends from Ohio to New Jersey and is long...

 brought suburban development to northwestern Chester County.

From 1964-1972 the State of Pennsylvania acquired properties throughout the region for the Marsh Creek Dam project, relocating residents and finally razing the village entirely. Today the site lies beneath the 530 acres (2.1 km²) Marsh Creek Lake: part of a water management project operated by the Chester County Water Resources Authority and the State of Pennsylvania.

Abandoned roads and traces of houses, barns and other structures can be seen on the shores of the lake and in adjacent recreation areas in Marsh Creek State Park

Marsh Creek State Park

Marsh Creek State Park is a Pennsylvania state park in Upper Uwchlan and Wallace Townships, Chester County, Pennsylvania in the United States. The park is the location of the man-made Marsh Creek Lake. With an average depth of 40 feet , the lake is stocked with fish and is a stop for migrating...

.