Autumn Day at Mabry Mill
by Chad Meyer
Title
Autumn Day at Mabry Mill
Artist
Chad Meyer
Medium
Photograph - Digital Photography
Description
A side view of the Mabry Mill located along mile post 176.2 of the Blue Ridge Parkway in Floyd County, Virginia. It is near the village of Meadows of Dan.
The mill was built by Edwin Boston Mabry (E.B. Mabry), who returned to Floyd County in 1903 and began the construction of the mill. It was first a blacksmith and wheelwright shop, then became a sawmill. By 1905, it was in operation as a gristmill. E.B. Mabry and his wife Lizzie worked side by side for decades to run the mill and serve the local community. They also built a comfortable two-story frame house for themselves, replacing their log cabin.
The mill faced hard times in the 1930s, as E.B. Mabry became ill and suffered from back problems and a series of dry years diminished his water supply. He died in 1936 and Lizzie kept the gristmill going for a while, but eventually moved to live with her sister in Vesta, VA.
The mill was saved from decay by the Blue Ridge Parkway, which acquired the land in 1936 and restored the mill in 1942-1943. The parkway also added a number of other historic structures to the site, such as a whiskey still, a sorghum mill, and a cabin. The mill is now one of the most visited and photographed landmarks on the parkway.
Uploaded
November 1st, 2023
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