Cockram Mill
Also known as: DHR File 70-06
Why it's listed
Cockram Mill is a water-powered gristmill on the Dan River headwaters beside U.S. Route 58 in Patrick County, Virginia. Jesse Blackard built it around 1885 as a frame building with white weatherboard siding and a tin roof. Unlike most mills in the Appalachian area, which used overshot wheels and served neighbors on request, it was designed for mass production and runs on two turbine wheels. Blackard ground corn, rye and buckwheat, operated a sawmill, planer and box factory, and supplied stores across three counties as well as tobacco companies in North Carolina. W.A. Cockram bought the mill in 1921, replaced the wooden dam with concrete in 1932, and for about a decade sold electricity to twelve households. The mill was renovated in 1964 and again after 1984. Much original equipment survives, including an 1879 buckwheat shucker and three sets of millstones. The nomination cites it as a largely intact example of late nineteenth-century mill technology.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the mill is a representative example of late nineteenth-century mill design and technology under Criterion A. It was unusual locally for using two turbine wheels, for being built for large-scale production, and for introducing grain cleaning and shelling. In the 1930s it also sold electricity to about twelve households. It is described as one of the few largely intact gristmills surviving in good condition in the area.
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 90001842, listed December 6, 1990. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | US 58 E of jct. with VA 632, Meadows of Dan |
|---|---|
| County | Patrick County |
| Listed | December 6, 1990 |
| Reference number | 90001842 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1885-1940 |
| Architect / builder | Blackard, Jesse |
| Architectural style | No style |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Industry |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Still operating as a mill, and leased to the National Park Service to produce cornmeal, grits and buckwheat. The concrete dam washed out in July 1990 and replacement was planned; the mill ran on electric power meanwhile. The miller's house is used as a deli and craft shop and the store as an antique shop. |
| Acreage | 13 |
| Coordinates | 36.73787, -80.37977 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For an income-producing building, listing (individually or as a contributing building in a district) is the gateway to the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit on qualified rehabilitation costs, often stackable with state credits. Work claiming the credit must follow the Secretary of the Interior's Standards and be approved in advance.
Listing does not restrict a private owner acting without federal money or permits; where federal funding or licensing is involved, Section 106 review applies.
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 90001842.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q15211105
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.