Nested throughout the mountains between North Carolina and Virginia lays the Blue Ridge parkway. This long, winding road can take travelers all the way from Shenandoah National Park to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park if they are not afraid to take the long way around. This scenic route was created in 1936 to protect some of the historic and cultural landmarks throughout the Appalachian mountain chain. One of the first and most recognizable sites along this iconic parkway is Mabry Mill.
Mabry Mill was first functional in 1908. The mill was built by Edwin and Lizzy Mabry and was made to function as a gristmill. It served as a community mill for anyone within an eight mile radius of the property. People would come, pay a small fee, and be able to grind their own cereal grains into flour, a much more lucrative resource. Shortly after its creation, a sawmill was also added to the Mabry Mill property and only increased its local popularity and revenue.
Over the years of this mill’s operation a home, a woodworking shop, a blacksmith shop and a wheelwright shop were all added to the property.
These resources only increased the mill’s popularity amongst locals and was an important resource in a rather isolated community. Given the lack of highway infrastructure many people living in the mountains of rural Virginia, where the mill was located, were unable to reach urbanized areas so having access to resources such as these was vital.
The Mill was shut down and donated to the National Park Service in 1938, just as the Blue Ridge Parkway was opening up. This site quickly became a popular place to stop for travelers. The property was restored in 1942 which only increased its popularity. This iconic site has been deemed the most photographed place on the Blue Ridge Parkway and sees several hundred visitors a year.
While this site may not be the important resource for the local community it used to be, that does not mean it has lost its sense of community. Throughout the summer months, Mabry Mill hosts local musicians, dancers and artists to come and perform on its property, these performances garner a large crowd and still make Mabry Mill a vital part of the Appalachian community.
