Occoquan Historical Society
Mill Model Dedication
Saturday, March 31, 2012
Slideshow Lecture by Model Designer and Builder
James N. Walbert, PhD
1:00 p.m., Occoquan Town Hall
314 Mill Street
Unveiling and Public Reception
2:00 p.m., Mill House Museum
413 Mill Street
Once a prominent mill town, Occoquan’s main mill stood from the latter part of the 18th century until 1924. A portion of it remains today and houses the Occoquan Historical Society’s Mill House Museum. In December of 2011, Town Councilman and accomplished woodworker James N. Walbert, PhD, presented the Historical Society with a handcrafted scale model of the mill. Join us at Town Hall on March 31 as Dr. Walbert describes the process he used to design and construct the model, and then enjoy an unveiling and reception immediately following at the Mill House Museum.
The lecture, unveiling, and reception are all free to the public.
Occoquan Historical Society
Civil War Re-enactment Art Contest
November of 2012 will witness a reenactment of a Civil War raid that included participants such as John Underwood and Wade Hampton.
To commemorate this event the Occoquan Historical Society would like to invite you to participate in an Art Contest. The piece should depict the artist's interpretation of the historic event. Upon submitting an “Intent to Participate” e-mail, a historical summary of the event will be sent to you.
The winner will receive $200 and ALL participant items will be on display the day of the re-enactment. The winning piece will be selected no later than 30 September 2012 and reproduced for resale at the event. Entrants must agree to provide a royalty-free, nonexclusive license to the Occoquan Historical Society to reproduce and sell the winning entry. 25% of the proceeds from sales of the winning print on the day of the re-enactment will benefit the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) Post 7916 in Occoquan.
All original pieces of art will be on sale the day of the event, with those proceeds going entirely to the artist who created the piece.
In order to be considered, and receive an introduction packet with additional raid information, send an “Intent to Participate” email to:
President@occoquanhistoricalsociety.org
Include your name, telephone number and email address.
Submissions are due 27 September 2012, and should be submitted to the Occoquan Museum at 413 Mill Street, Occoquan, VA. Submissions should include your name, telephone number, address, and email address. Other arrangements can be made and such requests should be submitted to the above email address.
All unsold artwork will be returned in the weeks following the event.
Brady's Sharpshooters
Occoquan Civil War Sesquicentennial
Commemoration Event
February 25, 2012
Join on us February 25, 2012, as Occoquan continues its commemoration of the 150th anniversary of the Civil War.
At 10:30 a.m., visit Town Hall to hear Robert Alton, the author of Strategm 1861, lecture on the early history of the Civil War in northern Virginia.
At 11:30 a.m., join us on the other end of town for a re-enactment of one of the several skirmishes of the Civil War that occurred in Occoquan. On February 3, 1862, Companies H & I of the 3rd Michigan Infantry on the north side of the Occoquan River surprised and exchanged fire with Confederate troops drilling in Occoquan under the command of Wade Hampton. Learn what stopped the armed exchange on that wintry day. Brady's Michigan Sharpshooters will re-enact the original event at approximately 11:30 a.m., with troops stationed both at Occoquan Regional Park on the north side of the river and at Mamie Davis Park in Occoquan. Afterward, you can visit the Sharpshooters at their encampment near the Tourist Information Center (200 Mill Street) and see them drill and do firearm demonstrations.
Cap the day off with a stroll through Historic Occoquan and visit some of our wonderful shops, restaurants and our Mill House Museum! Sign up on Facebook (do so by clicking here) no later than February 23, 2012, and you can pick up a voucher at the Tourist Information Center between 10:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. on February 25 that entitles you to 10% off an entree at Madigan's Waterfront Restaurant, the Blue Arbor Cafe, the Garden Kitchen, and Tastefully Yours (other restaurants/shops may be added later). The voucher can be picked up and used only on February 25.
This day's activities are sponsored by the Occoquan Historical Society, the Town of Occoquan, and Occoquan Regional Park.
Before the War
Occoquan Civil War Sesquicentennial Commemoration Event
July 31, 2010
***Click here for a slide show of the event compiled by Occoquan Resident Boyd Alexander, with the assistance of Dolores Elder, and John Tole of "Evergreen Shade"***
Join on us July 31, 2010, as Occoquan commemorates the 150th anniversary of the Civil War by re-enacting one of the earliest Civil War-related events to occur in Prince William County. On July 4, 1860, a group of approximately sixty men erected on the property of one their members, Joseph T. Janney, a flagpole from which they flew a U.S. flag and a pennant bearing the names of Abraham Lincoln and his running mate, Hannibal Hamlin. A little more than three weeks later, some forty members of the Prince William Militia rode into town, and despite the protestations of Mr. Janney, who presented the militia commander with a petition asking that he respect private property, the militia chopped down the "liberty pole" to the jeers of the Lincoln supporters and the cheers of southern sympathizers. In the subsequent Presidential election in November, Abraham Lincoln received only 55 votes in Prince William County--all of those votes came from Occoquan.
Visit the Town of Occoquan as we present a day of Civil War commemoration activities built around a re-enactment of the liberty pole incident. In addition to the re-enactment we will have a 19th century mourning and medical display in town hall, live period music in Mamie Davis Park, book signings by historians, two historical lectures at Rockledge mansion, free boat tours on the Occoquan with narration on the river's role in the Civil War, and special period children's activities. We have spaced out the day's activities so you will have time to participate in whatever you like and still have plenty of time to shop and eat in beautiful, historic Occoquan--there will even be limited free shuttle bus service from selected commuter lots!
Schedule of Events
July 31, 2010
10:30 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. Mourning Museum & Medical Display (Town Hall)
11:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. Lecture on the "Liberty Pole Incident" (Rockledge Mansion)
12:30 p.m. Liberty Pole Re-enactment (NW end of Mill Street)
1:00 p.m. - 1:45 p.m. Live Period Music (Mamie Davis Park)
1:30 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. Free Boat Tours*
1:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. Book Signings (Various Shops)
1:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. Children's Activities (The Storytellers)
1:30 p.m. - 2:00 p.m. Lecture on the "Liberty Pole Incident" (Rockledge Mansion)
2:00 p.m. - 2:45 p.m. Live Period Music (Mamie Davis Park)
Limited free shuttle transportation will be available from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. from the commuter lots at the corner of Minnieville and Old Bridge Roads, and at the corner of Old Bridge Road and Route 123.
*Timed advance tickets for the boat tours will be available on a first-come, first-served basis starting at 10:00 a.m. at the information booth in Mamie Davis Park.
--And do not forget Occoquan's Farmers Market, every Saturday, from 8:00 a.m. to Noon, including on July 31--
