Nolan Painting Funds, Patches & Paints the WVWA’s Four Mills Barn

Preserving the Legacy of WVWA’s Four Mills Barn

Ambler, PA (August 23, 2018) – This summer, visitors may have noticed a flurry of activity around Four Mills Barn. Thanks to both a generous donor and the in-kind donation and outstanding work by Nolan Painting, the one-of-a-kind Four Mills Barn received a much-needed patch and paint job.

Designed by prominent Philadelphia architect Horace Trumbauer in 1891, Four Mills Barn was part of a 93-acre estate originally owned by Charles Bergner of Bergner and Engle Brewing Company.  Over the next 100 years, its’ storied history included five owners, many of whom were prominent Philadelphians.

Major floods throughout the years eventually left the structure in a state of disrepair. It wasn’t until extensive renovation by Natural Lands that the barn opened to the public in 1971.  WVWA Neighbor Jamie Stewart who has witnessed the transformation said, “Four Mills Barn is worth keeping up as a piece of architecture by Horace Trumbauer, who designed the Philadelphia Public Library and other notable pieces. It’s something worth maintaining in the manner it has been. It’s one of a kind, you won’t see anything else like it.” 

In 1976, the Wissahickon Valley Watershed Association (WVWA) moved into the Barn and converted the building into offices to be used as its headquarters and officially purchased the barn and surrounding 52-acres of land in 1995.

Since then, it has been up to WVWA to make sure that this historic gem is properly maintained and will withstand the tests of time. It had been almost 30 years since the last paint job, and the building was in sore need of sprucing up.

Nolan Painting has been a long-time sponsor of WVWA’s events and when they learned of this project offered to doing even more for WVWA. Their Nolan in the Neighborhood community outreach program is focused on improving the community, particularly in the areas of education, the environment, health and fitness, and local history. The revitalization of the Four Mills Barn aligns with Nolan’s focus on preserving the important gems of our region’s historic treasures.

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The Wissahickon Valley Watershed Association was founded in 1957. Its mission is to inspire and engage diverse communities of people to protect, steward and enjoy the land and waterways of the Wissahickon Valley. WVWA has preserved and actively maintains nearly 1,300 acres of open space on 12 preserves with 24 miles of trails, monitors water quality, and provides recreational and educational opportunities for people of all ages. WVWA believes that people benefit when nature thrives.

CONTACT: Madalyn Neff, Communications Specialist
215.646.8866 x 16
madalyn@wvwa.org