The Avondale Mill was a large gable-front stone structure, three stories in height, and 10 bays long by three wide.

At that time it was provided with the machinery for the manufacture of fine cloth, running as many as 1,500 cotton spindles with 150 employees.

[2] In 1845, industrialist Peter Gorman was responsible for the first macadamized (paved) road in Laurel, Avondale Street next to the new Mill.

The waters of the Patuxent provided an 8–9 foot fall and gave the mill 60-70 horsepower to use, along with steam power fueled by coal from Cumberland as early as 1854.

[5][6] George William Brown purchased the 21.7 acre property and outbuildings from Benjamin F. Crabbs, but sold his holdings in a mortgage auction on 20 October 1897.