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Masters Mill along Aquia Creek in North Stafford is the last standing structure of its kind in the fast-growing county.
Chip Huston (left) and Shawn Andria search for clues to help uncover the history |
olan Houghton smiles when he recalls childhood horseback rides in the late 1930s from his grandfather's house to an old gristmill along Aquia Creek in North Stafford.
The 72-year-old Houghton said he was about 8 or 9 when he would carry sacks of corn on either side of the saddle during the one-mile ride to the mill. Then he would watch as the water wheel turned the gears and the millstones ground the corn meal he would take back to his grandfather's farm.
Houghton said the mill was operated at that time by his great-uncle, Herbert Patton.
More than 60 years later, the mill of Houghton's boyhood memories still clings to a hillside next to its millrace. And now it appears that the site might hold significance for future generations as well.
Developer Craig Johnson of CT Park Inc., is planning 18 homes in Masters Mill subdivision on 54 acres that include the mill, millrace and the remains of a small family cemetery. The land is north of Mount Ararat Baptist Church between the end of Toluca Road and Aquia Creek.
The project is on hold for the next two to four weeks while Johnson waits for a report from Cultural Resources Inc., of Fredericksburg that will tell him about the property's historical significance.
Local historians say the site represents the last standing mill in Stafford County. And preliminary findings by CRI say that the mill appears eligible for listing on the National Register of Historic Places.
"We definitely want to preserve the history of the site," said Johnson. "Both as a developer and as a pretty longtime Stafford resident, I want to preserve the county's history."
The mill is a 1-story frame building set upon a stone foundation. It has hand-hewn beams and wooden siding. There are no remains of the water wheel, millstones or gearing mechanism, however. The millrace runs a distance of about 800 feet from Aquia Creek. Portions of it still are reinforced by stones.
Records of a mill on the site first appear in the early 1800s. It has gone by several names, including Wiggarton, Wiggenton, Wiggington, Kendall, Masters and Patton.
The site also has a Civil War connection, according to county historian Homer Musselman. He said Wiggenton Mill was the site of a Confederate cavalry raid on a federal picket post on Feb. 6, 1863.
Kimberly Zawacki of CRI said that preliminary research dates the present structure as post-1820. She also said that at least portions of it are original.
CRI's preliminary report concludes: "This property is an excellent example of mill structure from the 19th century."
In her book, "They Called Stafford Home," historian Jerrilynn Eby says that mills provided the "glue" that held together small communities in the county.
"Farmers brought their grain to the mills to be ground," writes Eby. "While there, they shared news and information and perhaps purchased a few necessary items from the little stores that were often associated with the mills."
Eby's book includes a list of 34 mills that are part of the county's history.
Anita Dodd, the chairman of the Stafford County Historical Commission, has an extensive background in researching historic mills.
"Milling was a major industrial activity and it appears to have lasted longer in Stafford than in some other places," she said. "A standing mill is a very significant site for Stafford County--and on the state and national level, as well."
Johnson said he was aware of the existence of the old mill when he acquired the property last fall. But he said he did not learn that the site had historical significance until Aaron Shriber, the county's historic preservation planner, called it to his attention.
"It's an interesting sitea beautiful piece of property," Shriber said. "And it's a very important resource to the county--if they wish to preserve it."
Shriber said even if the site is eligible for the National Register, that listing would be "purely honorary" and would offer no protection, especially since no federal funds or permits are involved.
The Masters Mill proposal still must be approved by the Stafford County Planning Commission. But as a by-right development, with no rezoning necessary for the project to go forward, Johnson could bulldoze the mill structure if he chose to.
"But that's not the way we want to do business," he said.
The 37-year-old Johnson operates both CT Park Inc. and Ridgewood Homes Inc. His brother, Keith, is general manager of CT Park.
Craig Johnson is a native of Long Island, N.Y., but has spent the last 22 years in Stafford. He has 17 years experience in the building industry and has completed several projects in the county.
"This is my first exercise on something like this--where history has been involved," he said. "And I think from now on, contacting CRI will be one of the first things I do on any projectjust get them to come out and check the area for historical significance."
Johnson said that when CRI's report is ready, he will sit down with his engineer and look at his options.
"Once we get a game plan for preserving the mill, the millrace and the cemetery, we'll put it all on paper," he said. "Then we'll take it to the planning department for their input and then on to the Planning Commission."
Asked for a best-case scenario, Johnson said, "I'd like to preserve the historical value of the site, along with building 17 or 18 homes. That might mean leaving the mill as a green area or a dedicated area. But we're going to try to achieve both of those goals."
Houghton, who cherishes his memories of riding to the mill as a child, also was asked for his best-case scenario for the mill site.
"A park," he said. "Possibly put some machinery in the mill like the one in Fairfax County. Have a picnic area and some pavilions for people to gathermaybe grind some corn now and then. Why not?"
