Bancroft Mills is an abandoned building complex built in 1803 by resident Joseph Bancroft. Bancroft building which is located in Wilmington, Delaware was the largest and the best textile miller in the whole United States of America. The building was later on abandoned in 1961 when textile producers left the region for the South.

Early life

Joseph Bancroft for years worked for a local textile milling industry in Delaware. Through the experience and connections, he gathered at the Midlands mill where he worked, he was able to establish his mill at the age of 28. From 1831 when the mill’s construction was completed, it was expanded and modified several times so that it was able to accommodate the supply of textile it had. By 1880, the Bancroft mill had been modified more than five times, expanding to be the largest mill in the whole of the United States. Apart from working on their clothes as normal mills do, Bancroft mill worked on both their high-quality cloths which they made from scratch but also completed some technical designs that other mills couldn’t. The mill had several blocks and employees getting lost within the vast building was the order of the day. Over 5000 Wilmington locals’ were employed by Bancroft mill only. It operated for thirteen decades before its business declined.

End of an era

Joseph Bancroft died at the beginning of the twentieth century, and his son Samuel Bancroft took over the family company. As a simple and hardworking individual, he ensured that business continued as usual following his father's death. The enterprise continued to prosper and expand, eventually encompassing over 600 acres of land. During the growth, the mill also combined with other lesser mills in town, which not only opened doors for new business but also helped shape

Bancroft Mill's production. However, amid the 1900s, textile production began to reduce in the northern states of the country. Most of the producers saw more lucrative opportunities in the south and therefore took their business to the South. This left Wilmington with an insanely large mill with no textile to mill. Workers were all laid off and the mill was permanently closed in 1961. It was later sold to Indian Head Mills.

The Bancroft Mills Today

Indian Head Mills did not have the funds to maintain the mill operational and sold it to Wilmington Piece Dye. The firm functioned in the buildings until 2003 when they declared bankruptcy and closed them down. The structure had degraded beyond recognition at this point. Despite being worn out and decaying, the building changed ownership throughout the years and was purchased by a real estate firm planning to establish an apartment complex on the site. The structure was converted into contemporary apartments, which are now available for rent. Unauthorized visits to "The Falls Apartments" are no longer permitted.