Near Lake Ridge in Prince William County, Virginia — The American South (Mid-Atlantic)
Washington-Rochambeau Wagon Route
February 12, 2011
1. Washington ~ Rochambeau Wagon Route Marker
Inscription.
Washington-Rochambeau Wagon Route. . In September 1781, General George Washington directed the repair and clearing of roads leading to and from Wolf Run Shoals, the main ford of the Occoquan River, located seven miles upstream from the main ferry at Colchester. Prince William and Fairfax militia men accomplished this arduous task, allowing Washington's Continental Army and Rochambeau’s French Expeditionary Force, complete with wagon trains and artillery, to cross Occoquan on September 27, 1781, en route to the Battle of Yorktown. The road and ford continued to be used after the Revolutionary War. During the Civil War, defensive trenches and artillery batteries guarded the crossing. The ford became part of State Road 610 until flooded by the construction of Ryons Hydroelectric Dam in the late 1920s.
In September 1781, General George Washington directed the repair and clearing of roads leading to and from Wolf Run Shoals, the main ford of the Occoquan River, located seven miles upstream from the main ferry at Colchester. Prince William and Fairfax militia men accomplished this arduous task, allowing Washington's Continental Army and Rochambeau’s French Expeditionary Force, complete with wagon trains and artillery, to cross Occoquan on September 27, 1781, en route to the Battle of Yorktown. The road and ford continued to be used after the Revolutionary War. During the Civil War, defensive trenches and artillery batteries guarded the crossing. The ford became part of State Road 610 until flooded by the construction of Ryons Hydroelectric Dam in the late 1920s.
Erected 2006 by Prince William County Historical Commission.
Location. 38° 42.96′ N, 77° 21.576′ W. Marker is near
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Lake Ridge, Virginia, in Prince William County. Marker is on Wolf Run Shoals Road north of Observer Lane, on the right. Marker is located at Wolf Run Shoals Road, Overlook cul-de-sac. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 5041 Wolf Run Shoals Road, Woodbridge VA 22192, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Credits. This page was last revised on December 2, 2023. It was originally submitted on February 12, 2011. This page has been viewed 2,422 times since then and 52 times this year. Last updated on October 3, 2023. Photos:1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on February 12, 2011. • Bernard Fisher was the editor who published this page.