Simpsonville Mill

Simpsonville Mill is a former production center on the Middle Patuxent River that processed both flour and textiles. The remains lie beneath the Cedar Lane Bridge and include structures from multiple periods of operation along the waterway.

The mill was built in the mid-1700s and changed hands several times, including ownership by John Hobbs Jr. in 1741. By the 1800s it shifted toward sawmill operations and continued working until the early 1900s.

The mill served as a community hub for centuries, where local people brought grain and textiles for processing. Visitors can still sense how this place shaped the rhythms of work and trade in the area.

The site is easy to reach since it sits next to the James and Anne Robinson Nature Center and connects to local walking paths. Visitors should know that many remains are buried beneath the bridge, so what you see above ground shows only part of the original structures.

The mill used an uncommon breast wheel power system, which set it apart from most other mills in the region. Archaeological digs have uncovered more than 42,000 artifacts that document two centuries of commercial activity and daily work.