Mabry Mill on the Blue Ridge Parkway Virgina (2009)
Mabry Mill
Mabry Mill is one of the most visited and photographed spots on the Blue Ridge Parkway. It is located near milepost 176 on the Virgina part of the Parkway. The mill area includes the grist mill, a blacksmith shop, sawmill, old cabins, and a moonshine still (not working).
The mill is still in use. And if you're lucky you might find someone working in the blacksmith shop. When we first started going to the mill in the fall, there was a demonstration of making sorghum, but we haven't seen this for several years.
There are usually a bunch of ducks swimming around in the pond below the mill. They stick around until late fall--or at least the white ducks do. The kids love to feed them.
The restaurant provides some good country cooking.
Mabry Mill taken 1977
We've got a ton of pictures of the mill from our film days and more recently from our digital days. The mill just begs to have its picture taken. It's impossible to pass the mill without stopping to take a picture and wonder the grounds.
You can get an idea of the changes in the mill by comparing the 1977 photo with the 2009 photo.
The mill makes a good photo even in late fall after all the leaves have fallen from the trees. I think the mill makes a nice black and white subjet this time of year.
