Abandoned Places- The Old Snuff Mill

One could drive through Yorklyn and not even know that you've passed through-- other than a few houses, and an old-fashioned non-descript post office, the most noticeable thing about Yorklyn is the abandoned NVF plant and the broken down red brick buildings of what once was Garrett Snuff Mills.

What is a snuff mill? According to online resources, snuff is a pulverized tobacco product that is inhaled through one of the nostrils so as to get a swift kick of nicotine. Use of snuff dates back to Europe where in the 1500's it came into use and was hailed as having medicinal properties. The word snuff comes from the Dutch word "snuif" (oh how proud I am of my landsmen!). Snuff was widely used in Europe by the aristocracy and came to America by way of John Rolfe (husband of Pocahontas). Snuff mills were a lucrative business back in the day.. but now, they represent a time gone by and are mostly abandoned places...