Fairfax Circle Mill (Site)

These coordinates mark the estimated location where the mill once stood. There are no known photos of the mill. This photo is an example of how another Virginia grist mill was constructed in 1750.


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In the mid to late 1700s to mid-1800s, Fairfax County was a sleepy rural farm area. Farmers grew grains for local consumption and exports, but like today, processed grain commands a higher price and is easier to transport. Since there was no electricity, electric motors or mechanical engines, local residents harnessed the power of water flow to power their mills. Their challenge was to find a site along a stream valley with water flow powerful enough to operate a mill, yet close enough to easily access. Fortunately, Fairfax County had an abundance of sites that allowed the milling industry to thrive.

Courtney Askins petitioned to build a mill here in late 1799 or early 1800 on land he inherited from his father, John Askins. The land was owned by John Powell during the mill tax years of 1813-1815; however, he is not taxed for a mill.

Archaeological recon on what is now Towers Park (which borders Accotink Creek) has identified the millrace and milldam associated with it. According to the Towers Park planning document, in 1847 a “Hiram Fuller” applied to build a grist and saw mill on a parcel along Accotink Creek. There are also indications in 19th-century maps of associated domestic structures (miller’s house, etc.) in the area. That parcel was transferred on 27 December 1847 from John Moore to Charles Hall and Hiram Fuller; the deed describes “Lot 3” as containing the “Mill Lot.” Thus, Fuller’s mill likely corresponds to what is later called Fairfax Circle Mill in the archaeological record.

The Fairfax County master plan for the Accotink Stream Valley (1995) notes that the milling industry in the county grew in the 18th–19th centuries because farmers shifted from tobacco to grains (like wheat and corn), increasing demand for grist mills. Accotink Creek was a favorable site for mills because it was perennial (i.e., year-round flow) and carried enough water to power mills. Also, the creek’s proximity to transportation corridors (roads leading to Alexandria and Occoquan) made it economically viable to produce milled goods for wider markets.

By the mid-to-late 19th century, the old mill is shown on maps (e.g., 1862) as “old,” suggesting it was already out of use or in decline by then. Today, only traces remain: millrace remnants, possibly parts of the dam, and some archaeological signatures (in Towers Park area). The Fairfax County Lake Accotink Park master plan likewise acknowledges these remains as part of the historical / industrial heritage of the area.