Shoreline boardwalk may come to town

A proposed addition to Occoquan’s shoreline boardwalk will also serve as a historic trail to the town’s museum, according to town leaders.

An artist’s rendering of a new town boardwalk was recently unveiled at the Occoquan Historical Society’s annual gala. The boardwalk will extend from the Gaslight Landing development, the end of the existing boardwalk, to the Mill House Museum at the end of town.

The new section will feature historical markers displaying photographs of the town’s past accompanied by explanatory text. In addition and where appropriate, some platforms might be added for fishing and boat docking.

“This new boardwalk has the potential to benefit Occoquan tremendously,” said Occoquan Mayor Earnie Porta, who is also a member of the historic society’s board of directors board. “It will dramatically improve the waterfront appearance of the town, draw additional visitors and aid in the ongoing revitalization of the historic district.”

It will also help tell the story of the town’s past.

“One of the real strengths of the Occoquan Historical Society’s holdings is our photographic collection,” Porta said. “Unfortunately, space constraints really prevent us from showing most of it to good effect.

“Historic markers on the boardwalk, like the current mill conduit marker near the Mill House museum, will enable us to finally make some of our wonderful photographs widely available for public viewing and put the scenes they depict in historical context,” Porta said.

The boardwalk project, a joint venture between the town and the historic society, will be the focus of a long-term fundraising campaign by the society.

Additionally, the society will assume responsibility for the historic markers and the town will be responsible for the boardwalk.

The Occoquan Historical Society commissioned the rendering of the planned boardwalk from Jackie Liedl, a local artist whose watercolors grace some of the town’s art galleries.

According to Porta, the boardwalk campaign resurrects a project considered more than a decade ago. At that time most riverside property owners favored running a boardwalk the length of the town, and both a partial boardwalk and new town pier were constructed behind what is now Madigan’s Waterfront Restaurant and Mamie Davis Park.

For a variety of reasons, however, the larger project never gained traction. Porta hopes things will be different this time.

During the gala, town leaders also made their second presentation of the Walter Bailey Volunteer Award. Named after town resident Walter Bailey and presented for the first time as part of the Virginia 2007 commemoration, the award recognizes long-term volunteer effort in support of Occoquan.

This year’s award was presented to longtime Occoquan resident June Randolph. Randolph has at one time or another held every position in Occoquan, including that of mayor.

A veteran of World War II, in 1969 she also helped found the Occoquan Historical Society, then called Historic Occoquan, Inc., and continues to serve on its board of directors.

“We have a great deal to be thankful for in this town, not lease of which is the support of volunteers like June Randolph,” Porta said during the gala. “We can see a little bit tonight how she inspires others; this gala, like its three predecessors, was organized by a group of women volunteers without whom it would never have taken place. They have done a wonderful job.”

Also during the gala that was held at the Bistro L’hermitage on Occoquan Road, the historic society unveiled two new logo designs and its new website, www.occoquanhistoricalsociety.org.

Staff writer Aileen Streng contributed to this story.