Millwood Magisterial District (Millwood-Pine Grove)

Area & Communities: The Millwood District encompasses two precincts: Millwood and Pine Grove. This district covers much of southeastern Clarke County. The Millwood precinct is centered on the historic village of Millwood, south of Berryville, as well as surrounding countryside (including Greenway Court and many large farms in the area). The Pine Grove precinct serves the eastern part of the county – Pine Grove is a tiny unincorporated community in the Blue Ridge foothills, along the Clarke–Loudoun border. The Millwood District’s terrain ranges from the open fields along Spout Run and the Shenandoah River to the forested hills around Mount Weather and Blue Ridge Mountain (Pine Grove area). Long Branch, a notable 18th-century estate, is a feature of this district. Millwood village itself is a gem: it has the Burwell-Morgan Mill, several antique shops, and is a designated historic district. The presence of the Burwell-Morgan Mill (built 1785) is a point of pride – it is one of the oldest continuously operating grist mills in the U.S., founded by Nathaniel Burwell and Gen. Daniel Morgan. The mill (now a museum) and the adjacent Locke Store (a country store since 1836) give Millwood a charming, time-capsule feel. In short, Millwood Magisterial District is steeped in history and rural tradition, from the wheat fields that once made it prosperous to the quiet pine groves that gave the eastern precinct its name.

Representation: Terri T. Catlett is the Board of Supervisors representative for the Millwood District, and she currently serves as Vice Chair of the Board. Ms. Catlett, herself from a longtime local family, has focused on education and historic preservation issues on the Board. The Millwood/Pine Grove area voters have elected her multiple times, reflecting trust in her advocacy for agricultural land use protections (given the many conservation easements in this district). On the School Board, Michael P. Wilson represents the Millwood District. He was elected to fill the seat previously held by a long-serving member who retired. Together, Supervisor Catlett and School Trustee Wilson frequently attend Millwood community events – for instance, community picnics at the Millwood Community Center (the old schoolhouse) and the annual Veterans Day ceremony at Green Hill Cemetery. Residents of this district also engage with county issues like country road maintenance, conservation zoning, and tourism management (since Millwood draws heritage tourism).

Politics & Voting: The Millwood District voters are generally Republican-leaning, though perhaps not as overwhelmingly as some other Clarke districts. The presence of some more liberal-leaning residents (artists, retirees, etc., drawn by Millwood’s charm) means the Millwood precinct can show a tad more Democratic support than, say, Russell or White Post precincts. Still, in recent elections, Republicans carry both Millwood and Pine Grove comfortably. For example, in the 2020 presidential election, the precincts in this district together gave roughly 60% of their votes to Trump (and ~39% to Biden). In the 2021 Governor’s race, Youngkin carried Millwood precinct by about a 2-to-1 margin. In the 2024 Presidential election, Millwood Precinct went 64.03% to Donald Trump while Pine Grove Precinct went 54.79% to Donald Trump. Local offices are typically uncontested by Democrats; Supervisor Terri Catlett (a Republican) won her last race handily. It’s worth noting that Millwood village itself has some vocal conservation-minded voters who might cross party lines if an issue threatened local history or land – but those issues rarely split along simple party lines. Overall, Millwood District votes safely Republican in partisan races and tends to favor incumbents in local races. Voter turnout here is solid, especially among older residents; the Millwood precinct often has one of the higher turnout rates in the county (owing perhaps to the close-knit nature of the community where everyone knows when it’s voting day).

Unique Facts: Millwood District boasts Clarke County’s richest historical tapestry. Greenway Court, the colonial seat of Lord Fairfax, lies just outside Millwood village – today only an office wing (“the Land Office”) remains, but it’s a national historic landmark. George Washington frequented this area as a young surveyor, and many of Washington’s relatives are buried at Old Chapel near Millwood. The district was a hub of activity during the Civil War too: Confederate Colonel John S. Mosby’s Rangers operated in and around Millwood, and Union General Philip Sheridan’s troops marched through here during the 1864 Valley Campaign. Legend has it that Sheridan spared the Burwell-Morgan Mill from destruction because it was such a vital local food source (and indeed the mill kept grinding flour throughout the war). Another quirky fact: Millwood’s post office is famed for being tiny – it’s in a small stone building that used to be a springhouse. Also, Long Branch, an early 19th-century mansion in this district, now hosts equestrian events and a hot-air balloon festival, connecting Clarke’s past to present recreation. Residents like to say that in Millwood, “history isn’t just in books, it’s in our back yards” – an apt description of a district where nearly every farm and road has a story from centuries past.