I cannot believe that summer is already underway. I am excited to have started my internship at the Auburn Heights Preserve. At Auburn Heights, I am primarily working in the National Vulcanized Fibre mill (NVF) and am currently sifting through their records.
NVF was the product of the Marshall family and stayed under the direct operation of the Marshall family until 1953. The company created vulcanized fibre, a laminated plastic made of paper. By 2007, the company filed for bankruptcy and closed for good. Now under the management of the Delaware State Parks, the site is slated to become a museum where the paper making process and the story of NVF will be highlighted. My job is to explore the treasure trove of material and help Auburn Heights tell the story of the mill from the archival material left behind.
After completing my first week, working with archival material in an unprocessed state and in an old building is proving to be quite an adventure. In a world of cabinets, drawers, files, and folders, who knew I would discover an actual bird’s nest. Unfortunately or fortunately, no birds accompanied the nest. It is amazing what one can find in the world of archives. The mill is not a glamorous place and there is the occasional fly, wasp, and stinkbug, however a treasure waits in the telling the story of the mill. Like the literal bird’s nest I discovered, the NVF mill is my nest for the summer.
Bird's Nest
NVF Mill
The Archives
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