File:07 Old mill on the C&O Canal.jpg

Summary

his information about the old mill on the C&O Canal in Brunswick is on a marker on the towpath below the old mill site. It reads:

"Canal water was an important ingredient in the production of 'C.F. Wenner's Choice Family Flour'. Businessman Charles Fenton Wenner drew surplus water from the canal near Lock 30 to power the wheels and turbines of his flour mill. Wenner was one of several 19th century entrepreneurs who expanded the use of the C&O Canal beyond navigational purposes. Along the canal other businessmen built mills that processed items such as corn, wheat, cotton, and lime.

The mills served as the foundation of many communities that formed along the canal. Towns grew and prospered as other businesses including stores, warehouses, and lumber yards opened to provide services. Gradually people became attached to the way of life that evolved around the canal. Although some towns, like Berlin (later Brunswick), survived the demise of the canal in 1924, many people never regained the sense of community that the waterway forged. They mourned not only the loss of a convenient transportation route and power source, but also their dying heritage.

The mill's strategic location made it a center of activity. It had docking facilities for canal boats and railroad cars. It was also easily accessible to farmers from both Maryland and Virginia. The building, used until 1962, burned in 1972."

On the upper right is a portrait of Charles Fenton Wenner (1825-1882) who took advantage of the many economic opportunities afforded by the canal. In addition to the mill, Wenner owned 550 acres of farmland (known as Wenner's Hill), two canal boats, and two warehouses. He also served in the Maryland House of Delegates and clashed with the Confederates after their troops confiscated one of Wenner's barges filled with wheat and grain. CF Wenner was eventually compensated for his losses by Richmond.

(Photo courtesy of Peter Wenner)