The Monocacy Creek Watershed Association is now officially a member in the Illick’s Mill Partnership for Environmental Education, joining the Bethlehem Area School District, the City of Bethlehem, Wildlands Conservancy, and the National Audubon Society in the effort to restore Illick’s Mill.  

    The Partnership is raising money to restore and adaptively reuse the 1856 grist mill in Monocacy Park as a center for watershed education and activism. The restored Mill will provide meeting space for MCWA as well as other environmental and creek-based organizations such as Trout Unlimited and the Lehigh Valley Audubon Society.

    Karen Dolan, Executive Director of the Illick’s Mill  Partnership and vice-president of 

MCWA, said, “We all want the same thing, to protect the Monocacy Creek watershed. MCWA are the experts on creek protection, and we are honored to have them on board."

    Allen Zinnes, President of the Illick’s  Mill Partnership Board of Directors, said, "We're happy to have  MCWA ally with us in the Illick's Mill Partnership since our goals are so much in tune with each other."

    The Partnership’s unique approach to management places high school students from Bethlehem’s Liberty High School in charge of running the non-profit responsible for raising the estimated $1.2 million needed to transform the Mill into a working public facility. Called the Illick’s Mill Project, the students have raised $210,000 thus far, progressing through the architectural and design phase and launching actual restoration efforts in January.

    Architectural work was completed by Artefact, Inc., a small highly regarded Bethlehem firm owned by Christine Ussler who lives along Monocacy Creek. Ms. Ussler’s firm continues to guide the Partnership as they launch restoration efforts. The next step, to stabilize the foundation and restore the Mill’s stone exterior, will begin as soon as the weather warms.

     Phil Burtner, MCWA President, said, “The MCWA will certainly assist the Illick's Mill Project in the restoration of the creek within Monocacy Park, and will most likely help develop educational 

materials that address aquatic and riparian habitats along the creek."

     “The creation of an environmental education center along the Monocacy is the best way to ensure our mission is successful. The more eyes we have watching a precious natural resource like the Monocacy, the better its chances are of surviving and thriving,” Burtner said.  

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