American Wood Paper Co. – Spring City

In 1847 Shyrock and Company purchased land in Spring City north of Bridge Street which stretched to the Schuylkill River. They built a small paper mill producing poor quality paper suitable for wrapping dry goods. In 1852, Hugh Burgess of Reading, England, was invited to come to America to introduce his wood process for paper-making and in 1854 this paper process was started at the mill in Spring City at Royer’s Ford. It was at this local mill that the paper-making industry was entirely revolutionized and the chemical process perfected. Known as The American Wood Paper Company, it could produce nine tons of wood pulp daily which it was sent all over the country to be converted into quality paper. Manufacturing of wood pulp at this mill ceased in 1893.