It has been over 60 years (and I was only 5 years old) when my father showed me the ruins of the old cement mill on River Road. It was a sad scene then and it was still sad 50 years later in 2001 when I moved back into our home. Daily 45-minute walks between my home at the top of the hill on River Road and the intersection with Trough Road constantly reminded me of both how much we owe and how little has been done to protect those historic buildings.

Since last week I can finally look back at the steady erosion of those ruins and the failure of our collective responsibility to protect them as distant memories.

The Jefferson County Historic Landmarks Commission (JCHLC) has started removing some of the debris, trash and dead trees which covered the site; the area surrounding the mill is already looking remarkably better. It is only a start, but after so many decades of neglect, it is a very beautiful start indeed. I’m sorry that I don’t know the names of all the good people who have worked so hard to get this process started, but I want to give my personal thanks to each of you.

John Aldis

Shepherdstown