The Greenwood gold mine operated in Prince William County , Virginia, United States, near the town of Independent Hill for a few years before closing in 1885. It was one of two known gold mines in Prince William County, the other being the Crawford placer prospect on Neabsco Creek , near I-95 , though small amounts of gold were occasionally found at the Cabin Branch Pyrite Mine in nearby Dumfries .
11-693: The Greenwood site was situated at the head of the North branch of Quantico Creek on what is now part of Prince William Forest Park near the intersection of Aden and Bristow Roads in the far northwestern area of the park. The site is situated along the Virginia Gold-Pyrite belt, which runs from northeast to southwest primarily through the counties of Fairfax, Prince William, Stafford, Spotsylvania, Buckingham, Culpeper, Cumberland, Fauquier, Floyd, Fluvanna, Goochland, Halifax, Louisa, Orange, and Patrick. Mining operations consisted of at least one shaft,
22-518: A gristmill on Quantico Creek near what is now the town of Dumfries . Scottish settlers then established a settlement and port on the estuary of Quantico Creek downstream after the bars to Virginia's profitable tobacco trade were lifted by the Navigation Law of 1707. West of that port, the land was quickly cleared of its timber and was planted with crops such as cotton and tobacco. These cash crops were harvested and shipped out through
33-401: A stamp mill , and some form of mercury amalgamation recovery. The mine was a significant source of mercury pollution on Quantico Creek, and has since undergone complete reclamation including the sealing of mine shaft(s), soil removal and/or decontamination, and removal of obvious tailings. The area of the former mine is also monitored by an array of groundwater wells, which are maintained by
44-566: A few remaining businesses. In early 2006, a realignment of 234 bypassed the town, leaving it on a side road. The greater Independent Hill area is defined by the Census Bureau as a census-designated place (CDP), with a population of 7,419 as of 2010. Independent Hill is also the home of the Prince William County School Board Complex. The administrative, support, and maintenance personnel of
55-541: Is a 13.7-mile-long (22.0 km) partially tidal tributary of the Potomac River in eastern Prince William County , Virginia . Quantico Creek rises southeast of Independent Hill , flows through Prince William Forest Park and Dumfries and empties into the Potomac at Possum Point . John Smith in 1608 reported the existence of a Doeg community called Pamacocack on the banks of this creek, as well as on
66-895: The NPS. The USGS maintains two active monitoring wells downstream of the mine site on the South Fork of the Quantico Creek . As of 2010, the only visible evidence of the mine are a few depressions in the soil. Engineered drainage structures from the reclamation efforts are visible. No intact structures or equipment remain. The National Park Service charges a fee for entry into the park and does not allow collecting of rocks or minerals. 38°37′48″N 77°25′51″W / 38.63000°N 77.43083°W / 38.63000; -77.43083 Quantico Creek 38°32′38″N 77°17′32″W / 38.54389°N 77.29222°W / 38.54389; -77.29222 Quantico Creek
77-488: The directly opposite ( Maryland ) side of the Potomac. This is thought to be a likely candidate for the place Henry Spelman was found living among the natives, which he reported was named "Nacottawtanke, but by our english cald [sic] Camocacocke". Early land patents spell the name of the creek variously as Quancico (1654), Quanticotte (1654, 1658), Quantecot (1657), Quanticoke (1664), Quonticutt (1665), and Quanticutt (1665). In 1690, settler Richard Gibson erected
88-595: The headwaters of the North Branch near Independent Hill , and the Cabin Branch Pyrite Mine, located about 1 mile west of Dumfries and now within the Park. Both mines were significant sources of pollution on the creek. The pyrite mine was a source of sulfuric acid , formed from the natural breakdown of pyrite, while mercury was used extensively in the gold extraction process. At one point,
99-525: The port of Dumfries at the head of the Quantico harbor. A customhouse and warehouse followed in 1731, and many others cropped up along the estuary by 1732. The growth of tobacco caused the area around the creek to erode , and the creek was filled with silt . The mid-19th century saw the development of some mining operations along the creek, consisting of the Greenwood Gold Mine , located at
110-522: The water from the creek to cool itself. Several communities, some extinct, lie near Quantico Creek. Communities are listed from the Quantico's source to its mouth on the Potomac. Independent Hill, Virginia Independent Hill is an unincorporated town in Prince William County , Virginia . It is located along State Route 234 at the intersection with Joplin Road . There are only
121-518: The water in the creek was nearly as acidic as vinegar . Both mines have since undergone significant reclamation to restore the creek and its surroundings to an acceptable state of health, especially within the park. Today, the creek is not navigable because of silting in. Most of its watershed lies in Prince William Forest Park and the town of Dumfries. The mines are no longer in operation. A power plant on Possum Point uses
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