Cartmill's Gap
This gap, just west, is named for Henry Cartmill who acquired land nearby on Purgatory Creek. During the French and Indian War (1754-1763), conflicts between Indians and settlers increased in this area. In 1757, Indians laid waste to several nearby farmsteads, including the Robert Renick settlement a few miles north near present-day Natural Bridge. Renick was killed, while his wife and children (William, Robert, Thomas, Joshua, and Betsy) were taken captive. A neighbor, Hannah Dennis, also was made prisoner; Joseph Dennis, her husband, and their child were among those killed. The Indians escaped south through Cartmill's Gap.
Marker is on Arcadia Road (Virginia Route 614) near Lee Highway (Virginia Route 055), on the right when traveling west.
Courtesy hmdb.org
