June 10th, 2010 issue #0923

Back around the turn of the century, I decided to hike to Monticello with my then 10-year-old son. The challenge was to get there and back without retracing our steps. We park in the empty lot of the gothic, non-denominational Woolen Mills Chapel. Consecrated in 1888 and located near the end of Market Street to provide religion for the mill workers, it continues to serve religious and community functions. The Virginia Historical marker lets us know that mills were operating on this site from 1795 to 1964.