1960: Building a Tradition of Sustainability
Advertisement in The Philadelphia Inquirer, May 28, 1959
From its beginning, The Nicholas Newlin Foundation was founded on the practice of sustainability. Founders E. Mortimer and Elizabeth Newlin wanted their non-profit to support the community rather than be a burden. When the first board meeting of the Foundation was convened, the founding board members discussed plans for the mill and the nascent park. Mortimer and Elizabeth eagerly planned to acquire more land and gift it to the foundation. To realize Mortimer’s vision of a restored mill and a beautiful nature preserve, they believed they could not rely solely on philanthropy from themselves or the community. To meet their goal of sustainability, they would need to find different revenue streams.
The person charged with this mission was Park Director Rudy Fields. A man of many talents, he was determined to create something lasting and sustainable. Along with creating trails, digging ponds, building the log cabin, and planting thousands of trees and shrubs, Rudy and his wife Betty began the hard work of making the two-fold concept of history and nature a viable, going concern. In 1959, when the park first opened to the public, the records show a humble income. Monetary transactions were carefully logged into the Park’s daybook by Betty. A tour of the historic 1704 mill (as it was then called) was .25 cents. One of Rudy’s earliest undertakings was keeping bee hives and renting them out to local farms, including nearby Linvilla Orchard. They also sold honey and beeswax. An industrious man, Rudy made and sold birdhouses, shelves, and knick-knacks. Selling refreshments was also an early money-maker.
One of the first items purchased was a freezer for Sealtest ice cream. Pepsi-Cola and Canada Dry ginger ale were stocked and sold all year round. On April 1, 1959, Betty recorded their first sale: 2 fisherman caught $6 worth of fish. Their second sale was for ice cream. Rents from properties on site were advantageous. $750 was collected for an antique shop on the upper floor of the mill. Houses on the property were maintained and rented as well. Some of our readers may remember when there was a fruit stand adjacent to the property on Baltimore Pike. Rent money was received for that space for several years.
In the early 1960’s, picnicking was a novelty in the area, and Rudy worked hard readying the site: he built grill pits, a playground, hiking paths and even outhouses. Countless hours were spent clearing the wooded areas of overgrowth and planting shrubs and trees. He planned and excavated a wading pool for children to play in. (Remnants of the wading pool were recently uncovered during our wetland expansion.) The stone steps can still be seen in the millrace embankment.
Cutting Christmas trees at Newlin Grist Mill
The Park was often filled with scouting troops, church groups, school groups, and family parties. They made money charging these picnic groups for parking (.25 cents per car). In these early years, picnicking fees provided some steady income. With the land they were steadily acquiring, Rudy and Mortimer came up with the idea to sell Christmas trees that they would grow on site. In April 1963, Rudy planted the first spruce tree saplings to create that Christmas tree farm. Subsequent plantings grew into a sizable woodland. Many trees were cut and sold from 1979 through 1990. The remaining 60-year-old trees now make up our unique mature conifer forest.
Trout Fishing Sign
Perhaps the best known and most profitable idea was stocking the mill race and ponds with trout. In March 1959, they ordered 1,000 rainbow and brook trout for stocking. Those fish brought in $1,200, nearly half of their income for the year. For many years, the stocked mill race and trout ponds drew anglers of all ages and were the largest source of revenue on the property. Trout are still stocked today in the ponds for public fishing and the stream for the fly fishing club members.
Prior to Mortimer’s passing in 1977, he and Elizabeth started to realize that while these efforts at sustainability contributed important funding, they were not enough to fully support their vision for Newlin Grist Mill. They initiated a philanthropy plan with the Annual Giving Campaign that provides important support for programs and daily operations. Each of the founders left bequests, creating an endowment that would continue to support the organization and its mission for future generations. Their foresight created a revenue source that provides for 60% of the annual budget, with the remainder coming from program fees, memberships, and donations. The early focus on sustainability shaped the Newlin Grist Mill’s role as a beloved community treasure, one that has earned support from the public in both program support and annual donations.
The legacy of these early attempts at sustainability endures at the Newlin Grist Mill. Visitors can still purchase water and soda in the gift shop, although ice cream is something from the past. Bee hives are once again on the landscape and honey is also available for purchase. Fishing has continued except for a pause for the past four years caused by siltation from a PennDOT project. Fishing reopened in 2024 for families who are carrying on the multigenerational tradition of teaching young anglers. Today, Newlin Grist Mill is supported by the combination of program related income and donations from those who appreciate the value of the Mill. The sale of Christmas trees ceased as a business in 1990, but the Christmas Tree Farm remains. The trees were left to grow into a distinct habitat. The conifer forest is popular with visitors and the resident owls. The unique feature is also a favorite for filmmakers and continues to generate funds from film projects, commercials, and even music videos – something Rudy Fields never dreamed of when he planted those saplings 60 years ago!
