How The Witts transformed the meaning of Cross Mill

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Considering the significant work undertaken by the Witts in transforming the mill from a vacant structure into a fully realized art house, we aim to honor their efforts by sharing this history and grounding our future programming in the legacy they established.

The Witt Family bought the property in the early 1960s and spent half a decade developing it into part home, part foundry and studio, and part community gathering space. It was here that they raised their three children while building a meaningful artistic legacy rooted in both craftsmanship and community engagement. 

Nancy Witt became a recognized and celebrated artist, named the 1994 Artist of the Year by the Williamsburg Contemporary Art Center (WCA), with more than 50 solo exhibitions across the country. Her work—spanning painting and sculpture—along with her role in cultivating the Mill as a creative hub, was frequently featured in the *Richmond Times-Dispatch*. Today, her work is being considered for inclusion in the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts’ private collection. Her connection to nearby Randolph-Macon College, which she attended beginning in 1948, further ties the Cross Mill to the cultural fabric of Ashland.

For decades, the Cross Mill operated as a place where art was not only created but shared—through exhibitions, gatherings, and an open exchange of ideas. After Nancy’s passing in 2009, her son continued to live and run the Cross Mill Gallery until 2024, when the decision was made to pass the stewardship of the Cross Mill to its next chapter.