Occoquan River, Virginia
I like to escape to the small riverfront town of Occoquan every now and then, which is about 20 minutes from home. The river was crucial for water-borne commerce from Virginia’s earliest settlement days. It’s fun to imagine the Dogue Indians fishing and canoeing, or the hustle and bustle of a busy town with cotton and grist mills, foundries, and a tobacco warehouse. The Merchant Mill, which operated here for 175 years, was the first automated grist mill in the nation. After grain was unloaded from cargo ships and processed, it was boated up to places like New York and Philadelphia.
Hmmmm. Mill + grain + bakery = pies. Okay, so I’m obsessed.
Visit all the other LJ hometowns listed on Cindy Lord’s blog!
Next time: my favorite Occoquan haunt
Kayak’s ready…
…to launch out on the Occoquan River! NICE!
Re: Kayak’s ready…
Don’t forget to pack a good lunch . . .
Don’t forget to pack a good lunch . . .
Will you make a pie?
When I dated a guy from Dale City we sometimes went to Occoquan. It’s a very dear little place.
Now you’re in my backyard!
Funny, but I’m planning on heading out to take pictures of the river today!
Re: Don’t forget to pack a good lunch . . .
What kind would you like?
It’s a great place to take out-of-town guests. It comes alive on the weekends.
Great minds . . . have fun!!
Paul suggested “Honey”…
…but I think I’ll go with Apple.
gorgeous pic!!!!!
It’s so LUSH! How beautiful.
Thanks
!
Thanks to you, I was motivated to get out and enjoy some natural beauty for a change. We get so caught up in the daily grind that it’s easy to forget to appreciate the good stuff in your own backyard.
I can’t get over how lush everything is…it’s hard to believe it’s the same country
gorgeous!!!!
I love water.
Lovely little town. I’m in Triangle, the other end of I-95 in Prince William.
When I travel out West, I can’t believe how brown everything is! Of course, if I go really far west, to Hawaii, then everything is green and colorful
!
Lots of fishies here to play with
!
Yes, I’ve heard of Triangle, but never been there. What’s it like?
Yes, it’s very brown. We still have a hint of green on the hillside (called, ironically, Green Mountain)…but it’s fading fast!
Too bad the mill is not still in operation but it’s a museum now, isn’t it? I love mills ~
All that’s left is the Mill Office, which is a museum.
So no grain, hence no bread or pie ..
Never say “no pie!” There’s always pie! Mom’s Apple Pie Company is in Occoquan, and tomorrow, I’ll blog about my favorite homemade pie place
!
Not until tomorrow? No hints? No teasers? Must I wait until then?
Our next lunch date? We need to do it!
I’ve been to that pie place! And my son rows on that river…
It’s called “working up an appetite!”
Wow, I didn’t know your son rows there. Are we talking about THE pie place? Up a narrow flight of stairs? I smell a lunch date coming up . . .
What a peaceful looking river!
It’s very soothing and relaxing to gaze at it.