The historic town of Occoquan, located 20 miles southwest of Washington on the banks of the Occoquan River, is home to just over 1,000 residents. “It’s like a small-town oasis in a very busy and bustling area,” said Porta, who was drawn to Occocan in 2001 because of its river access and famous craft shows. “Even when it’s crowded here, people come and feel like they’re in an oasis.”
From the 50-year-old Fall Arts & Crafts Show to the Old Hollywood Murder Mystery around Halloween, festivals, concerts and events attract visitors and residents year-round and boost the local economy, Porta said. It is said that it has become
He said finding the “hidden” gems requires a little exploration of the town’s Main Streets, Mill Street, Union Street and Commerce Street, but there’s something for everyone. “That way people can learn about all the things that might be of interest to them in Occoquan, whether it’s retail, restaurants or historic sites.”
Sixty of the town’s colorful mix of 19th- and 20th-century buildings are part of the historic district and were listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1983. A fire in 1916 destroyed much of the historic center. “As a result, there is no single dominant architectural style in the city today,” Porta said.
Porta leads a historical tour of some of the ruins that survived the fire, including Rockledge, a Georgian mansion built in 1758 by John Ballendin, who founded Occoquan’s iron and milling operations in the 1750s. To do.
In the summer, Porta takes excursions to the water, kayaking or paddleboarding on the Occoquan River while explaining the town’s history as it relates to the river.
Settlers trace their origins to the Algonquian-speaking Dawg people of Native America, who named the area Occoquan, or “Water’s Edge.” Many others explored the area, including Captain John Smith, who navigated the Occoquan River in 1608, and Union and Confederate troops during the Civil War.
Historically, Occoquan’s main industry was flour milling, but the town also supported tobacco, iron, lumber, river ice, shipbuilding, riverboat tours and quarrying operations, Porta said. The town was founded in his 1804 year by Nathaniel Ellicott, a member of the nation’s leading Quaker millers, and was officially incorporated in 1874.
In the 1970s, the “double whammy” of Hurricanes Agnes and Eloise was a turning point for Occoquan, Porta said. The town began rebuilding into the city it is today, a blend of historic sites and over 100 small businesses, including his five art galleries and his two chocolatiers.
“If you come here on the right day, they both make chocolate, and the town smells amazing,” said Sarah Hitchcock Burgio, vice president of the nonprofit organization Visit Occoquan. “We’re definitely a Hallmark movie,” said Burgio, who runs Hitchcock Paper Company, one of the stores accessible from Occoquan’s riverside boardwalk.
Like many Occoquan stores, Burgio’s company offers some products made in town, she said. She also said that while her store has “a very healthy population and regular customers,” most of her customers are tourists and people traveling on I-95.
“I love when people come in and say, ‘This looks like Stars Hollow from Gilmore Girls,'” Burgio said. “Yes, that’s right! We have a gazebo, we have town meetings, and when something happens, everyone jumps in.”
Occoquan is more than “just a sleepy old town,” Burzio said, and its history is evident along its streets. One of his clues is the lack of mailboxes for people in the 22125 zip code. Resident Olivia McDaniel called it an “old-fashioned” but welcome way to see her neighbors picking up their mail at the Occoquan Post Office on Mill Street. McDaniel works at the Millhouse Museum in Occoquan, where she said the Occoquan Historical Society strives to “keep the whole history alive.”
Before the mill was destroyed by fire in 1924, the site was the administrative office for one of the nation’s first automated flour mills (circa 1759), and now houses the town’s post-1755 building, McDaniel said. The relics are said to be preserved. Her one-room museum, which has free admission, had more than 650 visitors during Holiday Fest, she said with a laugh.
Occoquan’s ever-growing town events and “Hallmark movie” atmosphere are supported by volunteers and just four City Hall staffers, said Town Council member and real estate agent with Keller Williams Realty. Theo Dobres said. “It’s one of the few places I’ve seen where a town almost survives because of the people who live there. … I feel like I have to volunteer because I love it. But at the same time , it also gives you a cool sense of community.”
Live there: Occoquan is located north of Woodbridge in Prince William County, Virginia, and is a mix of condos, townhouses, and some single-family homes. As of Dec. 5, Dobres said, 4 properties ranged from a two-bedroom, three-bathroom condo for $444,900 to a three-bedroom, four-bathroom Victorian townhouse for $1.195 million. The property in question is said to be for sale. He said 26 properties have sold in the past 12 months for prices ranging from $182,000 to $645,767. He added that the town is convenient for commuting to Washington and military bases such as Quantico and Fort Belvoir.
school: Occoquan Elementary School, Fred M. Lynn Middle School, and Woodbridge High School.
Transportation facilities: Occoquan is less than a mile from Interstate 95 and approximately 34 miles from Reagan National Airport. Virginia Railroad Express’ Woodbridge Station and Amtrak’s Lawton Station are less than 8 miles away. Occoquan Express’ free shuttle service operates most Saturdays from his VDOT commuter route at the corner of Route 123 and Old Bridge Road.