Aldie Mill Historic District facts for kids
|
Aldie Mill Historic District
|
|
Aldie Mill and its millwheels
|
|
| Lua error in Module:Location_map at line 420: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value). | |
| Location | Both sides of U.S. 50 from E of Rte. 612 to W of Rte. 732, Aldie, Virginia |
|---|---|
| Area | 60 acres (24 ha) |
| Built | 1803 |
| NRHP reference No. | 70000806 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
|
| Added to NRHP | September 15, 1970 |
Aldie Mill is a historic water mill located in Aldie, Virginia. It was built shortly after 1804. This mill used the power of the Little River to grind grain. It still has much of its original machinery. This makes it one of the best-preserved mills in Virginia.
The Mill's Story
In 1804, a man named Charles F. Mercer got permission to build a mill. He was a lawyer and also served in the Virginia government. Mercer built a house for himself near the mill. He named his whole property "Aldie Manor." This name came from Aldie Castle in Scotland, where his family supposedly came from.
The village that grew around the mill was named Aldie in 1810. Before this, Mercer's father had a smaller mill there since about 1764. The new, bigger mill was built between 1807 and 1809. A builder named William Cooke helped Mercer. Cooke built the mill, a granary, a miller's house, and a store. He also built other shops that are now gone. These included a distillery and a blacksmith shop.
The mill's first machinery was a special system invented by Oliver Evans. Later, around the early 1900s, much of this machinery was replaced. The original wooden water wheels were also replaced with metal ones. In 1816, Mercer bought Cooke's share of the mill. He then rented the mill to other people to run it. In 1835, Mercer sold the mill to John Moore. Moore's family owned and operated the mill for six generations, until 1971.
What Aldie Mill Looks Like
The main part of the mill building is made of brick. It has two main floors and two more levels under the roof. On one side, there's a one-story section. On the other side, there's a two-story part.
Inside the mill, the grinding machines are powered by two large water wheels. These are "overshot" wheels, meaning the water flows over the top of them to make them spin. They are set up one after the other.
The area around the mill is also historic. It includes two houses. One is the Mercer House, which overlooks the mill. It's a two-story house built in the Federal style. The other is the Miller's House. This brick house is behind the mill, between the Little River and the millrace (a channel that carries water to the mill).
Other old buildings are also part of the complex. There's a granary, which was built between 1809 and 1816. There's also a smaller building called the "county mill." This building was used to make plaster. The village of Aldie grew up around the mill after it was built.
Visiting Aldie Mill Park
Today, Aldie Mill is part of the Aldie Mill Historic Park. The Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority manages this park. It is open for people to visit and explore. The metal millwheels have been fixed up and can still operate the mill's machinery. Aldie Mill was added to the National Register of Historic Places on September 15, 1970. This means it's recognized as an important historic site.
