Wawa Celebrates Anniversary with Historic Home Donation

MILLVILLE, Pa. During a Wawaversary celebration earlier this week at the Wawa convenience store located at Riverside Drive and East Main Street here, the retailer donated the Wood mansion, which was home to the chain's founding family, to the Millville Historical Society.

Wawa also donated $20,000 to the society for maintenance of the building, which is located at 821 Columbia Ave., according to a report in the Vineland Daily Journal.

The Wood family has roots in the city as far back as the early 1800s, as family members operated mills and manufacturing companies, according to Wawa historian Maria Thompson, who was cited in the report.

Bob Francois, president of the historical society, said the organization hopes to open the mansion to the public in the spring, and will use the building as the society's headquarters. The mansion will also be used as the society's museum, according to the report.

"The museum will help us tell the story of Millville's great industrial past to future generations," he said in the report.

During the 40th anniversary celebration at the store, David Johnston, Wawa chief operating officer, said the event was particularly noteworthy as there are only a handful of the company's 329 locations dating back that far, the report stated.

The oldest store is a 45-year-old building in Folsom, Pa., according to the report.

"This store is right up there with that," he said. "This is a big deal."

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