Clifton in Fairfax County, Virginia — The American South (Mid-Atlantic)
Ford's Mill at Wolf Run Shoals
Photographed by Mike McKeown, March 21, 2026
1. Ford's Mill at Wolf Run Shoals Marker
Wolf Run Shoals, a shallow water crossing on the Occoquan River, was once the center of a thriving agricultural community. Small farms of 25 to 500 acres produced a variety of crops and livestock. By the early 1800s, farmers hauled grain to various local mills for grinding.
Ford's First Mill In 1771, two local landowners planned to build a gristmill on Wolf Run where it entered the Occoquan River, but they sold the land instead. It wasn't until the early 1800s, when Edward Ford Jr. bought the land, that a mill was finally built. It was likely constructed and operated by Ford's enslaved people.
A Profitable Business By 1813, tax records showed that a sawmill had been added to Ford's Mill. Whenever possible, a miller took advantage of a water-powered wheel to expand a mill's function and make more money.
Ford's grain operation started as a country mill. Farmers would bring grain to be milled into flour, and the mill operator woulq4eep a portion as payment and to sell. In 1814, Ford's Mill had become a merchant mill, where the miller would buy the farmer's grain for cash. The Occoquan River flooded in 1817 and
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The Mill in Wartime By 1861, Union troops occupied the area surrounding Ford's Mill to protect the strategic Wolf Run Shoals crossing. Accounts from soldiers mentioned taking lumber from the mill to build huts and boats. Union Troops reportedly burned Ford's Mill in 1863. A new mill at Wolf Run was built in 1874 by F. S. Wildbore, this one powered by a steam engine. It burned in 1877. The site was purchased in 1891 by Lycurgus Hickey, who planned to rebuild the steam mill, but that never happened.
Erected by NOVA Parks.
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Industry & Commerce • War, US Civil • Waterways & Vessels. In addition, it is included in the NOVA Parks series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1771.
Location. 38° 43.652′ N, 77° 21.632′ W. Marker is in Clifton, Virginia, in Fairfax County. It is on Wolf Run Shoals Road west of Stillwell Avenue, on the right when traveling west. The marker stands on the grounds of Wolf Run Shoals 1.2 miles south of Henderson Road. It stands along the
Photographed by Mike McKeown, March 21, 2026
2. Ford's Mill at Wolf Run Shoals Marker
Regionally, this marker is in the Washington Metropolitan Area and in Northern Virginia. It is also in the American South, specifically in the Upper South, in the Mid-Atlantic, and on the Eastern Seaboard. 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 the territory of the Mississippian Culture, one of the original Thirteen Colonies, one of the Confederate States of America, and the Antebellum South.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 3 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: Wolf Run Shoals (about 500 feet away, measured in a direct line); Enslaved Burial Ground at Ford's Mill (approx. 0.2 miles away); Washington-Rochambeau Wagon Route (approx. 0.8 miles away); This Is Fountainhead! (approx. 1.6 miles away); Enslaved Burial Ground at Bull Run Marina (approx. 1.7 miles away); Bacon Race Church and Cemetery
Photographed by Mike McKeown, March 21, 2026
3. Remains of Union earthwork near the Bull Run Occoquan Trail
Also see . . . Bull Run Occoquan Trail History Page (NOVA Parks).
During the Civil War (1861-1865), Bull Run was a strategic defense line between the north and south and was the site of two major battles, First and Second Manassas (or Bull Run). On July 18, 1861 at Blackburns Ford (near present day Route 28) a skirmish occurred preliminary to the first Battle of Manassas. Federal troops attempting to secure the crossing were driven back by Confederates under General James Longstreet.(Submitted on April 19, 2026, by Mike McKeown of Baltimore, Maryland.)
Credits. This page was last revised on May 17, 2026. It was originally submitted on March 21, 2026, by Mike McKeown of Baltimore, Maryland. This page has been viewed 59 times since then. Last updated on May 16, 2026, by Mike McKeown of Baltimore, Maryland. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on April 1, 2026, by Mike McKeown of Baltimore, Maryland. 3. submitted on March 21, 2026, by Mike McKeown of Baltimore, Maryland. • Devry Becker Jones was the editor who published this page.
