PRE-CIVIL WAR
Built in 1742 in Prince William County near the Thoroughfare Gap between the Shenandoah Valley and Alexandria, Virginia, Chapman Mill played a strategic role in the local economy.
After corn and wheat arrived at the mill by wagon from the west to be ground into cornmeal and flour, the product was hauled east by wagon to Alexandria for shipment to Europe and South America.
When Prince William County was split into two counties in 1759, the boundary line between Prince William County and Fauquier County ran through the property, as it does, today.
With the arrival of the Manassas Gap Railroad in 1852, which conveniently ran behind the mill, wagon shipment of goods to Alexandria ended in lieu of train shipment.
In 1858, the mill was expanded to seven stories high, which was considered an architectural marvel.
CIVIL WAR
In July 1861, the Confederates bean using the mill to cure and distribute meat.
Thus, they stored herds of cattle and pigs along with two million pounds of meat at the location.
However, after the First Battle of Manassas, in 1861, the Confederates burned down the mill so that it would be of no use to the Union troops who were nearing the area.
At the onset of the Second Battle of Manassas, the Union General Ricketts began occupation of the Thoroughfare Gap near the mill.
Meanwhile, Generals Lee and Longstreet were advancing towards Manassas from the west.
The resulting clash on August 28, 1862, is known as the Battle of Thoroughfare Gap.
Throughout the war, the infamous Mosby Raiders patrolled the Thoroughfare Gap to impede Union travel through the area.
A short hiking bridge from the mill, along Broad Run, takes visitors to the battlefield of Thoroughfare Gap, on the other side of the I-66 bridge.
Incidentally, I-66 now serves as the main thoroughfare through the gap between the Bull Run and Pond Mountains.
POST CIVIL WAR
After the Civil War, Chapman Mill was renamed Beverley Mill, after the family who rebuilt and revived the mill after attaining ownership.
Through the years numerous owners added upgrades for the mill, ultimately landing in the hands of Walter Chrysler in 1946.
After he installed electric equipment, the FDA banned him from operating the mill since he didn’t meet their regulations.
Never again milling grains, the building fell into disrepair, meeting its final fate to arson in 1998.
A map of the height of the mill before its ultimate destruction is on wikipedia.
CHAPMAN-BEVERLEY MILL LEGACY
From its beginnings in 1742 to its demise in 1946, the mill provided cornmeal and flour to American troops during seven wars: The French and Indian, the Revolutionary, the War of 1812, the Civil War, the Spanish-American War, World War I and World War II.
SURPRISING DAY AT THE MILL
After exploring the ruins we watched a group of dancers pose for their senior picture in front of the mill.
We also saw lots of railroad buffs set up massive cameras on tripods aimed towards the empty train tracks.
One of them told us they were awaiting the arrival of a special train!
Stay tuned for the next blog post!
