Colesville in Silver Spring in Montgomery County, Maryland — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)

Valley Mill

Photographed by Devry Becker Jones (CC0), March 24, 2018

1. Valley Mill Marker

Inscription. Several water powered mills operated along Paint Branch from as early as 1723. In the 1790s, Peter Kemp built a saw and grist mill and brick miller's cottage on this site. Two subsequent mills replaced the original in the nineteenth century. The first, constructed in 1835 by Dr. Washington Duvall, became the leading producer of corn meal in Montgomery County by mid-century. In 1879, Franklin Pilling built the mill known as Valley Mill. Pilling replaced the old water wheel with a more efficient poole and hunt turbine, a portion of which remains. The centralization of milling to the mid-west in the late 1800s caused the economic demise of numerous small mills. The Valley Mill ceased to operated by 1930.

Erected by Montgomery County Park Commission, Department of Parks.

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Colonial Era • Industry & Commerce. In addition, it is included in the Maryland, Montgomery Parks series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1723.

Location. 39° 3.957′ N, 76° 58.679′ W. Marker is in Silver Spring, Maryland, in Montgomery County. It is in Colesville. It can be reached from East Randolph Road west of Tourmaline Court, on the left when traveling east. On the grounds of Valley

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Mill Special Park. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 1600 East Randolph Road, Silver Spring MD 20904, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in the Washington Metropolitan Area.

It is also in the American Mid-Atlantic.

Globally, it is in the North Atlantic Region,

North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once one of the original Thirteen Colonies

and also the Antebellum South.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 3 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: Edmonston's Mill (about 600 feet away, measured in a direct line); Snowden's Mill (approx. 0.4 miles away); Fawcett's Mill (approx. ¾ mile away); Smithville Colored School (approx. 1.1 miles away); Lee Family Cemetery (approx. 1.6 miles away); Khmer Rouge Genocide Memorial (approx. 1.7 miles away); Rachel Carson House (approx. 1.8 miles away); The Commonwealth Farm (approx. 2.4 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Silver Spring.

Another marker is no longer nearby. Valley Mill (was a few steps from this marker but has been permanently removed).

Photographed by Devry Becker Jones (CC0), March 24, 2018

2. Valley Mill Marker

Credits. This page was last revised on February 21, 2023. It was originally submitted on March 24, 2018, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. This page has been viewed 620 times since then and 47 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on March 24, 2018, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. • Andrew Ruppenstein was the editor who published this page.