Steptoe Mill (Site)

These coordinates mark the exact location where the mill once stood. The millrace channel is still easily visible as a straight line into the forest and joins Accotink Creek through the power line right-of-way. There are no known photos of the mill. This photo is an example of how another Virginia grist mill was constructed in 1750.

The mill shows up in this location on an interpretive historical map of Fairfax County, Virginia in 1760 showing landowners, tenants, slave owners, churches, roads, ordinaries, ferries, mills, tobacco inspection warehouses and the towns of Alexandria and Colchester. The map was created by Beth Mitchell and edited by Donald M Sweig. The map was published by Office of Comprehensive Planning, County of Fairfax, 1987.


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Here follows an excerpt from the "FAIRFAX COUNTY ROAD ORDERS 1749-1800" also written by Beth Mitchell for the Fairfax County History Commission:

18 June 1754, page 101
Philip Grimes is appointed constable from popes head to the falls of Occoquan a cross to Accotink at Steptoe’s Mill & he having taken the oaths prescribed by Law was sworn into his said office.

There is also an interesting WikiTree entry about William O'Daniel (abt. 1691 - abt. 1728). In 1717 he received a land grant in Stafford County, Virginia across Accotink Creek from the Steptoe Mill. He was a planter who grew tobacco, the major monetary crop of the time, and other crops necessary for trade and survival. He paid his property taxes in pounds of tobacco.