515 North Washington Street

The Mill at 515 North Washington Street

Company type	Private
Industry	Real estate, Residential
Founded	1848
Headquarters	Alexandria , United States
Products	Residential apartments

The historic structure located at 515 North Washington Street in Alexandria, Virginia has fulfilled various commercial roles since its establishment in 1848 by the Mount Vernon Manufacturing Company. Originally constructed as a cotton mill, the initial proprietors divested the property in 1855 following financial difficulties. The subsequent owner managed the facility successfully until the onset of the American Civil War, when the Union Army took control. The building was then transformed into the Washington Street Military Prison, recognized as the largest among five Civil War detention centers in Alexandria. Rufus Dudley Pettit was appointed warden in 1864 and became infamous for harsh treatment of inmates.

After the war, cotton milling operations briefly resumed before the property was sold and remained unused until 1902. At that time, Robert Portner’s Portner Brewing Company purchased it to serve as a bottling facility. This operation ceased due to Virginia’s enactment of Prohibition laws. Later, the Express Spark Plug Company occupied the premises until 1928. During the 1930s, the building was converted into the Belle Haven Apartment House, maintaining residential use until 1981, after which it underwent renovation for office purposes. Between 1992 and 2014, it functioned as headquarters for the International Association of Chiefs of Police. Subsequent renovations required historic preservation approvals because of its status as a contributing property within the Alexandria Historic District. Today, it operates as The Mill, a residential complex comprising 25 apartments that preserve original architectural elements alongside an adjoining park.

One distinctive aspect is "Oscar," a mannequin positioned in the cupola. Presumed to have been placed there around 1920, Oscar remains an integral part of the building’s heritage and is surrounded by various local myths.

Initial proprietors and construction

In 1847, a consortium of entrepreneurs established the Mount Vernon Manufacturing Company in Alexandria, Virginia. On April 19 of that year, they acquired a one-acre parcel on North Washington Street between Oronoco and Pendleton Streets. By the next year, they completed construction of a five-story brick edifice measuring 110 by 50 feet, which included a cupola and several outbuildings. This facility became Alexandria's inaugural cotton mill, employing approximately 150 workers—predominantly women—who labored eleven-hour shifts earning between $12 and $17 per month. The mill operated using two steam engines rated at 30 horsepower each to power 3,840 spindles and 124 looms.

Financial difficulties plagued the mill, leading its owners to lease it to another company starting August 1852. A significant event occurred on July 21, 1854, when night watchman Michael Kiggin was murdered; despite arrests and a $200 reward offered by management, no convictions were secured. Later that year, a fire broke out after cotton was placed too close to a gas lamp but was swiftly extinguished, allowing production to resume within days.

In 1855, ownership transferred through sale for $26,000, including factory buildings and auxiliary structures. Three years later, Philadelphia-based businessman John Rosencrantz purchased it for $35,000. Following renovations, the factory reopened successfully and produced approximately 5,000 yards of cotton sheeting daily over several years.

Civil War

In April 1861, Virginia withdrew from the Union during the American Civil War. The following month, the Union Army took control of Alexandria, located near Washington, D.C., to safeguard the capital and initiate operations in the South. This occupation prompted many Confederate supporters to flee, while Union forces confiscated local assets, including a substantial cotton mill.

The Union transformed this mill into a hospital and storage facility before converting it into a military prison known as the Washington Street Military Prison. It was the largest among five military detention centers in Alexandria, which also encompassed the City Jail on St. Asaph Street, the former slave trading Franklin and Armfield Office on Duke Street, the Green Furniture Factory on South Fairfax Street, and Odd Fellows Hall on North Columbus Street. This prison detained Confederate prisoners of war as well as Union deserters, with a capacity for approximately 1,500 inmates simultaneously.

At first, detainees were provided with sufficient nourishment and clothing. Nevertheless, conditions worsened under Captain Rufus D. Pettit, who oversaw Alexandria’s prisons after participating in key battles such as the Peninsula campaign, Battle of Antietam, and Battle of Fredericksburg. Pettit gained infamy for his harsh treatment, including ordering prisoners to be handcuffed and suspended from ceilings or left outdoors for extended periods in severe weather. Physical abuse was frequent, and Pettit was reported to have fired shots at inmates attempting to peer out windows.

After the war ended, Pettit faced a court-martial in November 1865 due to his mistreatment of prisoners. He was found guilty of cruelty and received a dishonorable discharge. Subsequently, Pettit pursued a legal career in New York. Documentation of his tenure as prison warden is maintained at the Alexandria Library (Virginia).

Later industrial use

In 1866, businessman Abijah Thomas acquired the property with hopes of restoring the cotton mill’s former prosperity. His efforts proved unsuccessful, leading to litigation between creditors Turnbull Baxter & Co. and the First National Bank of Alexandria; the dispute escalated to the United States Supreme Court, which remanded it to a lower court. In 1877, Robert Garrett from Baltimore purchased the site for $33,000 but shut it down to avoid competition with his Maryland enterprises. The building remained unused until 1900 when Garrett’s heirs sold it for $12,000 to Henry Chipman. Two years later, Harry and John Aitcheson bought it at auction on behalf of the Robert Portner Corporation.

The facility functioned as a bottling plant for Portner Brewing Company for fourteen years until Virginia’s 1916 Prohibition laws mandated its closure. In 1918, Express Spark Plug Company took ownership and produced spark plugs there until 1928, during which time large advertisements were painted on the exterior walls. Subsequently, amid the early years of the Great Depression, the United States Department of Agriculture utilized the premises.

Residential use

By 1935, the structure was converted into the Belle Haven Apartment House, featuring a newly added portico supported by Corinthian columns. Around this period, a mannequin known as Oscar appeared in a second-floor window and attracted media interest. Believed to have been placed around 1920 by the Bureau of Fisheries to promote fishing activities, Oscar became part of local folklore with various tales connecting it to Civil War-era pranks or law enforcement strategies.

In 1981, Belle Haven was repurposed into office space. During this time, realtor Bud Jordan discovered Oscar stored in an attic; he dressed it in a suit and positioned it within the cupola as an eccentric mascot during a sluggish real estate market.

The property was purchased in 1992 by the International Association of Chiefs of Police for $3.1 million and served as their headquarters until 2014. During this tenure, maintenance was performed on the cupola glass and Oscar was temporarily removed.

In late 2013, developer CAS Riegler acquired the building for $5.2 million with intentions to transform it into a 25-unit apartment complex. Renovating this historic contributing structure necessitated approvals from several bodies including the Upper Old Town Design Advisory Committee and National Park Service. Renamed The Mill (or The Mill at 515), this 25,950-square-foot development offers one- and two-bedroom units featuring 12-foot ceilings alongside preserved architectural elements. Amenities include an adjacent park and an event space on the top floor overlooking Old Town Alexandria and the Potomac River.

CAS Riegler collaborated with Cooper Carry architectural firm for this endeavor; architect Brandon Lenk highlighted that despite Oscar’s missing leg and faded attire, it remains an essential part of the building’s heritage.

See also

• National Register of Historic Places listings in Alexandria, Virginia