Near Dayton in Rockingham County, Virginia — The American South (Mid-Atlantic)
Silver Lake Historic District
Photographed By J. J. Prats, September 24, 2022
1. Silver Lake Historic District Marker
Inscription.
Silver Lake Historic District. . English American settler Daniel Harrison owned hundreds of acres in this area in the mid-18th century. and Presbyterians built Cooks Creek Church near here ca. 1750. German Baptist Brethren began moving to the Shenandoah Valley from Maryland and Pennsylvania at midcentury, arriving here by 1790. Brethren church member John J. Rife built a dam here ca. 1822, forming Silver Lake, and constructed a flour mill and a sawmill. This complex became the center of a prosperous industrial and agricultural community. A popular recreational site, Silver Lake began supplying water to Dayton and Harrisonburg in the 20th century. The 104-acre district is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
English American settler Daniel Harrison owned
hundreds of acres in this area in the mid-18th century.
and Presbyterians built Cooks Creek Church near
here ca. 1750. German Baptist Brethren began moving
to the Shenandoah Valley from Maryland and
Pennsylvania at midcentury, arriving here by 1790.
Brethren church member John J. Rife built a dam
here ca. 1822, forming Silver Lake, and constructed
a flour mill and a sawmill. This complex became the
center of a prosperous industrial and agricultural
community. A popular recreational site, Silver Lake
began supplying water to Dayton and Harrisonburg
in the 20th century. The 104-acre district is listed
on the National Register of Historic Places.
Erected 2021 by Department of Historic Resources. (Marker Number D-62.)
Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Notable Places. A significant historical year for this entry is 1750.
Location. 38° 25.373′ N, 78° 56.393′ W. Marker is near Dayton, Virginia, in Rockingham County. Marker is on Silver Lake Road (County Route 701) just north of Linhoss Road (County Route 735), on the left when traveling north. It is at the shore of Silver Lake in sight of Silver Lake Mill. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 2328 Silver Lake Rd, Dayton VA 22821, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Nestled at the south end of Silver Lake, the Mill was first built in 1822 when the lake was created to provide the Mill’s power. The spring feeding the lake is at the north end and is reported as producing about 2 million gallons of water daily. Looking north across the lake from the Mill, you will see Mole Hill – an extinct volcano!
(Submitted on October 13, 2022.)
Photographed By J. J. Prats, September 24, 2022
2. Silver Lake and the Marker
Photographed By J. J. Prats, September 24, 2022
3. A View of the Silver Lake Historic District and this Historical Marker
Silver Lake Mill is in the center of this photograph.
Credits. This page was last revised on October 13, 2022. It was originally submitted on October 13, 2022, by J. J. Prats of Powell, Ohio. This page has been viewed 195 times since then and 52 times this year. Photos:1, 2, 3. submitted on October 13, 2022, by J. J. Prats of Powell, Ohio.
