Piedmont Mill Historic District
Why it's listed
Along Maggodee Creek in northern Franklin County, Virginia, a small group of mill-related buildings and structures preserves the working landscape of a rural milling community. The main building is a three-story weatherboarded frame mill built about 1866 by Albert G. Martin. Its overshot waterwheel, millstones and roller equipment remain in place. In 1870 it was the highest-powered water-driven mill in the county, generating 45 horsepower. Benjamin Clements bought the property in 1923, and his family rebuilt the dam in 1936 and ran the mill until it closed in 1963. Nearby are a mill race, a concrete dam, two miller's houses (one once housing a general store, post office and dentist's office), stone retaining walls and outbuildings. A one-lane steel pony truss bridge built in 1929 by Roanoke Iron and Bridge Works carries Alean Road across the creek. The mill and houses are now largely unused, and the bridge has been closed to traffic since 2005.
Significance in brief: The mill was the highest-powered water-driven mill in Franklin County in 1870 and later served as a rural milling center under the Clements family until it closed in 1963. The 1929 bridge is an example of Virginia State Highway Commission standardized metal truss plans. The mill, houses and bridge also embody the construction methods and materials of their periods.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 09000063, listed February 27, 2009. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 1709 Alean Rd., Boones Mill |
|---|---|
| County | Franklin (city and county) |
| Listed | February 27, 2009 |
| Reference number | 09000063 |
| Resource type | District |
| Period of significance | c.1866 - 1963 |
| Architect / builder | Unknown (the bridge was fabricated by Roanoke Iron and Bridge Works in 1929; the mill was built by Albert G. Martin) |
| Architectural style | No style |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Industry, Transportation |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | The mill is not in use except for storage and is in fair condition, structurally sound but slowly deteriorating. Both miller's houses are vacant and in poor condition. The bridge was closed to traffic in 2005 after being rated in serious condition. |
| Acreage | 5.1 |
| Coordinates | 37.09567, -79.85467 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
This is a historic district. Buildings within its boundary are either contributing (they add to the district's significance) or non-contributing. Owners of contributing income-producing buildings can claim the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit; homeowners should look at state credits. National Register districts impose no design review by themselves; a local historic district ordinance, if one exists, does (the difference explained).
Noted as vacant in the nomination. Nomination documents can be decades old; current status may differ. If you are considering buying an empty listed property, read the due-diligence checklist.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 09000063.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q14713064
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.