The Hanover made Fitz Waterwheel at the Wallace-Cross Mill historic site in East Hopewell Township brought new efficiency to 19th century water power.
According to tour guide Wayne Spyker, the buckets of the wheel allowed the weight of the trapped water to carry the wheel a full 180 degrees.
The Fitz wheel could more efficiently trap energy from falling water and turn it into usable energy. In this way, a 19th century mill could do more work with less water.
The Fitz wheel also had the advantage of less splash than a traditional wooden wheel that resulted in less ice buildup locking the wheel in winter.
There is some irony that the wheel, installed in 1922, is now demonstrated with with an electric pump powered by a regional electrical monopoly that pushes electric power many miles through wires probably generated by a combination of coal, nuclear, and perhaps a little bit of water
It would be very difficult with the current population load and the resulting need for government control of waterways to just harness the power of a stream in your backyard.
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