Aldie Mill Historic District
Encyclopedia
Aldie Mill is a water mill in Aldie, Virginia
built shortly after 1804 to grind grain using the waters of the Litle River
. Retaining much of its original machinery, it is one of the best-preserved mills in Virginia
.
, a lawyer, Virginia legislator and military officer, obtained the right to dam the Little River and to build a mill in 1804. He built a house for himself across the Little River Turnpike, calling the complex "Aldie Manor," after Mercer's supposed ancestor's Aldie Castle in Scotland. The village that grew around the complex was named Aldie in 1810. Mercer's father, James Mercer, had operated a tub mill at the location from about 1764. The new mill was built between 1807 and 1809 by WIlliam Cooke, who worked for Mercer under an indenture
contract. Cooke built the mill, granary miller's house and store, as well as the now-disappeared distillery, blacksmith shop, sawmill, cooperage and wheelwright's shops, in return for a half-share in the mill operation. The original mill machinery was a system patented and manufactured by Oliver Evans. Much of the machinery, along with the original wood water wheels, was replaced at the beginning of the twentieth century. Mercer bought Cooke's share in the operation for $11,250 in 1816, leasing to mill to tenant operators. Mercer sold the mill in 1835 to John Moore, whose descendants operated the mill until 1971, through six generations.
s arranged one after the other powering the milling machinery in the brick mill building. The main portion of the mill is two stories, with two loft levels under the roof. It is flanked by a one-story section on the east and a two-story portion to the west. The village of Aldie grew up around the mill following its construction.
The historic district surrounding the mill includes two houses, the Mercer House and the Miller's House. The Mercer House overlooks the mill. It is a two-story Federal style
house, covered in stucco and altered over time. The Miller's House, a two-story brick structure, is located behind the mill between the Little River and the millrace. The Miller's House has been expanded to the rear. Other buildings in the complex include a granary dating to the period 1809-1816 and a smaller "county mill" structure, used to make plaster
.
on September 15, 1970.
Aldie, Virginia
Aldie is an unincorporated village located on the John Mosby Highway between Gilbert's Corner and Middleburg in Loudoun County, Virginia. It is located in a gap between the Catoctin Mountain and Bull Run Mountain, through which the Little River flows...
built shortly after 1804 to grind grain using the waters of the Litle River
Little River (Goose Creek)
Little River is a tributary stream of Goose Creek in Fauquier and Loudoun counties in northern Virginia. Via Goose Creek, it is a tributary of the Potomac River....
. Retaining much of its original machinery, it is one of the best-preserved mills in Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
.
History
Charles F. MercerCharles F. Mercer
Charles Fenton Mercer was a nineteenth century politician, U.S. Congressman, and lawyer from Loudoun County, Virginia....
, a lawyer, Virginia legislator and military officer, obtained the right to dam the Little River and to build a mill in 1804. He built a house for himself across the Little River Turnpike, calling the complex "Aldie Manor," after Mercer's supposed ancestor's Aldie Castle in Scotland. The village that grew around the complex was named Aldie in 1810. Mercer's father, James Mercer, had operated a tub mill at the location from about 1764. The new mill was built between 1807 and 1809 by WIlliam Cooke, who worked for Mercer under an indenture
Indenture
An indenture is a legal contract reflecting a debt or purchase obligation, specifically referring to two types of practices: in historical usage, an indentured servant status, and in modern usage, an instrument used for commercial debt or real estate transaction.-Historical usage:An indenture is a...
contract. Cooke built the mill, granary miller's house and store, as well as the now-disappeared distillery, blacksmith shop, sawmill, cooperage and wheelwright's shops, in return for a half-share in the mill operation. The original mill machinery was a system patented and manufactured by Oliver Evans. Much of the machinery, along with the original wood water wheels, was replaced at the beginning of the twentieth century. Mercer bought Cooke's share in the operation for $11,250 in 1816, leasing to mill to tenant operators. Mercer sold the mill in 1835 to John Moore, whose descendants operated the mill until 1971, through six generations.
Description
The mill features two overshot water wheelWater wheel
A water wheel is a machine for converting the energy of free-flowing or falling water into useful forms of power. A water wheel consists of a large wooden or metal wheel, with a number of blades or buckets arranged on the outside rim forming the driving surface...
s arranged one after the other powering the milling machinery in the brick mill building. The main portion of the mill is two stories, with two loft levels under the roof. It is flanked by a one-story section on the east and a two-story portion to the west. The village of Aldie grew up around the mill following its construction.
The historic district surrounding the mill includes two houses, the Mercer House and the Miller's House. The Mercer House overlooks the mill. It is a two-story Federal style
Federal architecture
Federal-style architecture is the name for the classicizing architecture built in the United States between c. 1780 and 1830, and particularly from 1785 to 1815. This style shares its name with its era, the Federal Period. The name Federal style is also used in association with furniture design...
house, covered in stucco and altered over time. The Miller's House, a two-story brick structure, is located behind the mill between the Little River and the millrace. The Miller's House has been expanded to the rear. Other buildings in the complex include a granary dating to the period 1809-1816 and a smaller "county mill" structure, used to make plaster
Plaster
Plaster is a building material used for coating walls and ceilings. Plaster starts as a dry powder similar to mortar or cement and like those materials it is mixed with water to form a paste which liberates heat and then hardens. Unlike mortar and cement, plaster remains quite soft after setting,...
.
Park
The complex is part of the Aldie Mill Historic Park, operated by the Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority, and is open to the public. The metal millwheels have been restored and operate the mill's machinery. It was placed on the National Register of Historic PlacesNational Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
on September 15, 1970.
External links
- Aldie Mill Historic Park
- Aldie Mill Historic District at the Journey Through Hallowed Ground