Mill Dam
The mound of earth in front of you was probably part of the dam for William Parks' paper mill. His mill was the first in Virginia for making paper and operated six years or more beginning 1744. Parks established the first permanent press in Virginia at Williamsburg. His paper mill supplied other printers, too, including Benjamin Franklin in Philadelphia.
Marker can be reached from Colonial National Historic Parkway 0.6 miles north of Virginia Route 199, on the right when traveling east.
Courtesy hmdb.org
