Charlottesville Woolen Mills facts for kids

The Charlottesville Woolen Mills was a very old factory in Charlottesville, Virginia. It was a busy place from the 1790s all the way to the 1960s. This mill was built on land that once belonged to Thomas Jefferson, a famous American leader. The mill's owners were special because they helped their workers buy homes nearby. This created a neighborhood where people with different incomes lived together. Today, this area is known as the Woolen Mills Village Historic District.

A Look Back in Time

Thomas Jefferson helped develop the Rivanna River area. This made it easier to move goods for trade in the early United States. The Charlottesville Woolen Mill was the biggest of many brick mills built in Albemarle County during the 1800s.

Around 1820, William D. Meriwether built the mills along the Rivanna River. These mills processed many different materials. They worked with wool, cotton, flour, and even timber.

During the American Civil War, the mill made uniforms for soldiers. On March 3, 1865, soldiers from the Union army burned the mill down. This happened when Charlottesville was captured.

Three years after the war, Henry Clay Marchant rebuilt the mills. But starting in 1870, the mills faced many problems. They had a series of floods and fires. These disasters finally destroyed the mills in 1882.

The 1900s

The Woolen Mills became very successful. They made woolen fabrics for many different businesses. They were especially good at making cloth for uniforms. Military schools, city police departments, and the United States military all bought uniform cloth from this mill.

What's There Now

In 2017, the city approved new plans for the old Woolen Mills factory property. It is now being developed into a mixed-use area. This means the new buildings will have both offices and shops.