Occoquan's Mill House Museum Ornament

Historic Occoquan was one of the Virginia localities selected to submit a handcrafted ornament by the Governor for the 2015 Executive Mansion Christmas tree.  The theme selected by the Governor for this special occasion is “Virginia’s Localities.”

The ornament to represent Historic Occoquan focuses on the Mill House Museum, which was built in 1759 on 230 acres of the Occoquan River as a forge and gristmill by industrialist John Ballendine. In 1765 Thomas Ellicott took over operation and in the 1790’s installed an invention that that made the mill, now called the Merchant Mill, the first automated gristmill in the United States.

The ornament is printed in full color sandstone and displays all brick and stone as well as the millstone that rests on the front of the building.  It will be on display at the Virginia Governor’s Executive Mansion Christmas tree will be on display starting December 4, 2015 through the holidays.