Calendar of Events

February 2007

Mill House Museum Exhibit -- Historic Photographs of Occoquan's African-American Community

April 2007

Commemorative Entrance Garden Dedication -- Sunday, April 22nd, 2:00 p.m., Corner of Washington and Commerce Streets

The Town of Occoquan has established a Commemorative Entrance Garden at the corner of Commerce and Washington Streets to honor the 400th anniversary of the founding of Jamestown and to welcome visitors to the town. Under the supervision of committee member Walter Bailey, the garden was planted in the fall of 2006 by Lake Ridge Nursery on property donated by Town residents Vernon and Hazel Dawson. Plantings in the garden include Wintergreen Boxwood, Georgia Blue Veronica, Softtouch Holly, and Nandina Firepower. The garden was formally dedicated on Sunday, April 22, 2007 at 2:00 p.m. to coincide with the Virginia 2007 theme for the month of April, "National Environment/Garden Month." Click here to view photos of the event.

Lecture on the History of the Occoquan Reservoir -- Sunday, April 22, 2007, 3:00 - 4:30 p.m., Occoquan Town Hall, 314 Mill Street

On April 22, 2007, the Virginia 2007 Commemoration Committee co-sponsored a lecture with Historic Prince William and Historic Occoquan, Inc., on the history of the Occoquan Reservoir. The featured speaker was Charlie Grymes, President of Historic Prince William and Adjunct Professor of Geography at George Mason University. The lecture was held from 3:00 to 4:30 p.m. at the Occoquan Town Hall, 314 Mill Street, and was schedule to coincide with the Virginia 2007 theme for the month of April, "National Environment/Preservation of Our Natural Resources Month." Click here to view photos of the event.

May 2007

East Coast Greenway® Dedication and Hike from McCoart to Occoquan -- Saturday, May 19, 2007, 2:30 p.m., Occoquan Town Hall, 314 Mill Street.

The East Cost Greenway® is a proposed 2600-mile, shared-use pathway that will pass through Prince William County and connect cities along the entire eastern seaboard of the United States, from Calais, Maine, to Key West, Florida. Virginia is one of 15 states and the District of Columbia through which the Greenway will run. Considered the “urban equivalent of the Appalachian Trail," the Greenway will link sites showcasing the nation’s industrial, historic, and cultural diversity, as well as spur the building of a network of pedestrian and bicycling pathways. Occoquan last year reaffirmed its commitment to the passage of Interstate Bike Route 1--the only national bike route in the country--through the town. This year, working with representatives for the Greenway and VDOT, Occoquan obtained approval for the routing of the East Coast Greenway through the town as well. Occoquan dedicated its portion of the Greenway on Saturday, May 19th, coinciding with the Virginia 2007 theme for the month of May, "National Transportation Month." David Brickley, former state delegate and Commissioner of the Virginia Department of Natural Resources, and current member of the Board of Trustees of the East Coast Greenway Alliance, was the featured speaker. The dedication ceremony took place at 2:30 p.m. on the lawn of Town Hall, 314 Mill Street, Occoquan, VA. As part of the dedication Village Skis & Bikes performed free bicycle checks and minor bicycle repairs at the entrance of the Greenway into town, and Occoquan merchant Tastefully Yours provided free food and drink.

In conjunction with the dedication, the Virginia 2007 Commemoration Committee co-sponsored with the Prince William Conservation Alliance, a hike from the McCoart Government Center on the Prince William Parkway to the Town of Occoquan. The hike highlighted the growing interest in and need for a comprehensive trails system in the county. Participants in the hike arrived in Occoquan just in time for the East Coast Greenway® dedication.

Click here to view photos of the dedication.

June 2007

Occoquan Spring Craft Show -- Saturday and Sunday, June 2-3, 2007, 10:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.

The annual Occoquan Spring Arts & Crafts show is held in the streets of Occoquan's Historic District from 10 a.m. until 6 p.m. both days, rain or shine. It includes both contemporary and country crafters and artisans from all over the United States. The show is juried and includes many local merchants.

July 2007

Civil War Trails Marker Dedication -- Saturday, July 21, 2007, 413 Mill Street, 1:00 p.m.

Civil War Trails is an effort by individuals and local governments to enhance understanding of the Civil War experience by interpreting and linking, where appropriate, previously uninterpreted and unconnected sites. There are some 400 Virginia Civil War Trails sites, ranging from thousands of acres to country crossroads. At the initiative of Dolores Elder and the sponsorship of Historic Occoquan, Inc., the Town of Occoquan was added as a Civil War Trails site earlier this year. In June, an interpretive marker was installed adjacent to the Mill House Museum on Mill Street describing the Confederate cavalry raids of December 1862 and the town's subsequent role in the Gettysburg Campaign. Occoquan's dedication of the marker was held on July 21st to coincide with the Virginia 2007 theme for the month of July, "Celebration of Liberty." The ceremony featured a presentation by Gary Elder on Civil War events that occurred in Occoquan and Civil War re-enactors from the 49th Virginia Infantry Regiment of Woodbridge.

Click here to view the Occoquan Civil War Trails Marker text and images (requires Adobe Acrobat Reader), and here to view photos of the dedication.

Flowers for Merchants

During the month of July the Virginia 2007 Commemoration Committee made available free of charge to Occoquan town merchants small assortments of red, white, and blue flowers for display. The only criteria for receiving the flowers was that one be a merchant in Occoquan and agree to display and care for the flowers as best as possible.

August 2007

Dedication of Mill Conduit Display and Local History Markers -- Saturday, August 25, 2007, 413 Mill Street, 11:00 a.m.

During construction at the northwestern end of Mill Street several years ago, workers discovered a piece of conduit from Occoquan's 18th century mill, the first automated mill in the country. Workers also discovered a girder from the 1878 iron truss bridge across the Occoquan River that was destroyed by Hurricane Agnes in 1972. Historic Occoquan, Inc. plans to display both artifacts, along with interpretive signs, adjacent to the Mill House Museum at 413 Mill Street. Dedication of the Mill Conduit display was held on August 25th to coincide with the Virginia 2007 theme for the month of August, "Agriculture and Industry Month."

In addition, Occoquan celebrated the completion of its local history markers program. Over the past several years the town has installed a total of fourteen (14) local history markers, providing information on the following people and institutions important to the town's heritage: the Dogue Indians, the Occoquan River Bridges, Ellicott's Mill, the Methodist Church, Mill Street, the Occoquan Wharves, the 1804 Boundary Stone, the 1804 Occoquan Town Plat, Ogle Harris' Store, Ebenezer Baptist Church, the Old Hammill Hotel, Odd Fellows Hall, Commerce Street, and Rockledge.

September 2007

Occoquan Fall Craft Show -- Saturday and Sunday, September 29-30, 2007, 10:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m.

The annual Occoquan Fall Arts & Crafts show is held in the streets of Occoquan's Historic District from 10 a.m. until 6 p.m. both days, rain or shine. It includes both contemporary and country crafters and artisans from all over the United States. The show is juried and includes many local merchants.

October 2007

Occoquan River Footbridge Dedication and Town Gala -- Sunday, October 14, 2007
Free Outdoor "A Taste of Occoquan" at Mamie Davis Park-4:00 p.m. Dedication-5:00 p.m.; Gala-6:00 p.m.

On Sunday, October 14, 2007, Occoquan's Virginia 2007 Commemoration Committee held a Taste of Occoquan event in Mamie Davis Park, and a Founder's Day Town Gala, to accompany the formal naming of the Occoquan River Footbridge after Nathaniel Ellicott, one of the town's colonial-era founders (for more information on the footbridge legacy project, see "Legacy Projects" on this web site).