Marker Logo
THE HISTORICAL
MARKER DATABASE
“Bite-Size Bits of Local, National, and Global History”
White Oak in Silver Spring in Montgomery County, Maryland — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)
 

Burnt Mills

 
 
Burnt Mills Marker image. Click for full size.
Photographed by Allen C. Browne, June 1, 2014
1. Burnt Mills Marker
Inscription.
The Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission built the Burnt Mills water filtration facility in 1929 to meet increasing demand for clean water in the rapidly-growing Washington. D. C. suburbs.

The two brick Colonial Revival buildings housed offices and pumping equipment. The structures reflect a design that was popular for houses in the late 1820's, and are an interesting adaptation of a domestic look for a municipal structure.

This turbulent stream was the location of one of the county's earliest grist mills, which stood here starting in the 1700s. Originally called Bealle's Mill, it ground grain into flour for nearby residents.

Robert B. Morse Filtration Plant
This site represents the revolutionary move from on era to another —from the use of water in order to power simple machines for local production, to the multi-million-dollar industry of protecting the public water supply for a large region. This small site helped make possible the enormous growth that suburbanization brought to our region.

One way to open your eyes is to ask yourself, "What if I had never seen this before? What if I knew I would never see it again? " - Rachel Carson, The Sense of Wonder (Posthumously 1965)
 
Erected by Montgomery Parks; Maryland
Paid Advertisement
Click or scan to see
this page online
Heritage Areas Authority.
 
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Charity & Public WorkEnvironmentIndustry & Commerce. In addition, it is included in the Maryland, Montgomery Parks series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1929.
 
Location. 39° 1.85′ N, 77° 0.363′ W. Marker is in Silver Spring, Maryland, in Montgomery County. It is in White Oak. It can be reached from Columbia Pike (U.S. 29). The marker is behind the WSSC building along the Rachel Carson Greenway. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 10700 Columbia Pike, Silver Spring MD 20901, 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 walking distance of this marker: Rachel Carson (here, next to this marker); The Rachel Carson Greenway (a few steps from this marker); The Fall Line and the Gorge (about 500 feet away, measured in a direct line); Rice The Organizer (approx. 0.8 miles away); Rice The Educator (approx. 0.8 miles away); Luther Rice (approx. 0.8 miles away); Rice The Journalist (approx. 0.8 miles away); Rice The Missionary (approx. 0.8 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Silver Spring.
 
Burnt Mills Marker image. Click for full size.
Photographed by Devry Becker Jones (CC0), March 22, 2026
2. Burnt Mills Marker
Unfortunately, the marker has been damaged.
Burnt Mills Marker image. Click for full size.
Photographed by Allen C. Browne, June 1, 2014
3. Burnt Mills Marker
Burnt Mills Marker image. Click for full size.
Photographed by Devry Becker Jones (CC0), January 17, 2018
4. Burnt Mills Marker
Burnt Mills Dam image. Click for full size.
Photographed by Allen C. Browne, June 1, 2014
5. Burnt Mills Dam
Neo-Georgian Pumphouse image. Click for full size.
Photographed by Allen C. Browne, November 11, 2005
6. Neo-Georgian Pumphouse
Neo-Georgian Pumphouse image. Click for full size.
Photographed by Allen C. Browne, June 1, 2014
7. Neo-Georgian Pumphouse
WSSC<br>10700<br>Columbia Pike image. Click for full size.
Photographed by Allen C. Browne, June 1, 2014
8. WSSC
10700
Columbia Pike
 
 
Credits. This page was last revised on March 22, 2026. It was originally submitted on June 5, 2014, by Allen C. Browne of Silver Spring, Maryland. This page has been viewed 2,599 times since then and 122 times this year. Photos:   1. submitted on June 5, 2014, by Allen C. Browne of Silver Spring, Maryland.   2. submitted on March 22, 2026, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia.   3. submitted on June 5, 2014, by Allen C. Browne of Silver Spring, Maryland.   4. submitted on January 17, 2018, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia.   5, 6, 7, 8. submitted on June 5, 2014, by Allen C. Browne of Silver Spring, Maryland. • Bill Pfingsten was the editor who published this page.
m=74198

CeraNet Cloud Computing sponsors the Historical Marker Database.
This website earns income from purchases you make after using our links to Amazon.com. We appreciate your support.
Paid Advertisement
Jun. 22, 2026