The Millrace

Hagley Museum and Library

From the Hagley Museum and Library, The Millrace explores the past through the voices of people who lived it. Inspired by the water channel that powered the machinery of our 19th-century factory, we tell stories of enterprise and industry from Hagley's oral history collections.

Season 1

  1. Episode 1

    An Explosive Time

    1918—it was an explosive time. The nation was at war. Political movements for workers and women's suffrage were gathering steam. The world was on the brink of change. What better place to explore an explosive moment in time than at an explosives factory? In our first episode of this four-part series, we dive into the conflicts and disruptions of the year 1918—from U.S. entry into World War I to the influenza epidemic—and learn how they influenced the lives of the men and women who were making the munitions for the U.S. and its allies at DuPont's Brandywine Works, and the families and communities that depended on them.

    An Explosive Time

  2. Episode 2

    A Dangerous Job

    Who in their right mind would willingly go to work making explosives and why? They pay was alright, but the job had its share of dangers. A bad day at work might mean never making the trip home again. Still, a job at DuPont's Brandywine Works meant steady work, a decent wage, and opportunities for advancement. World War I kept demand for black powder high, and as long as there was a demand, there were jobs to be had in the powderyards. For our second episode in this series, we dive into the working lives of the men and women who kept the powderyards running during and after the war. We'll learn about their reasons for taking these dangerous jobs, and what they got out of it.

    A Dangerous Job

  3. Episode 3

    A Community on the Edge

    The men and women who made explosives for the First World War risked their lives at work to provide a good living for themselves and their families. A job in the powderyards could support a comfortable lifestyle, withe free or inexpensive housing, schools and churches, and the companionship of neighbors. The war extended the life of this hundred-year-old factory, giving a temporary reprieve to a way of life that was rapidly fading.  In our third episode, we learn about the communities and home life that this work supported—and the surprising rituals of this tight-knit group of workers' villages.

    A Community on the Edge

  4. Episode 4

    In the Wake of War

    The end of the First World War spelled and uncertain future for the men and women who worked along the Brandywine, and for their families and communities. With the powderyards winding down, and the DuPont Company moving increasingly towards chemicals, their jobs and lives were in jeopardy. For our last episode in this series, we ask: What would be their fate in the wake of war?

    In the Wake of War
  • 4 Episodes

Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
3 Ratings

About

From the Hagley Museum and Library, The Millrace explores the past through the voices of people who lived it. Inspired by the water channel that powered the machinery of our 19th-century factory, we tell stories of enterprise and industry from Hagley's oral history collections.

Information

  • Creator
    Hagley Museum and Library
  • Episodes
    4
  • Seasons
    1
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Show Website
    The Millrace