OCCOQUAN, Va. — Two new historical markers have been installed in Occoquan, highlighting little-known aspects of the town's early economic and environmental history.
Funded by the Northern Virginia Regional Commission (NVRC), the markers are located near the Mill House Museum and Mamie Davis Park. The project is part of a broader effort to add interpretive signage along the Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trail, which runs through the town.
One marker, titled "Economic Development in Occoquan and its Dependence on Enslaved Peoples," explores the town’s industrial origins, including the establishment of the Occoquan Furnace and Forge in the 1750s. It specifically acknowledges the significant, but often overlooked, role enslaved laborers played in the town's economic development.
