Carolina China

Mabry Mill

Meadows of Dan, Va

— Spur of the moment is a very good way to make travel plans and that is what my wife and I did on Sunday afternoon. A one hour ride into the Blue Ridge Mountains and we felt one step closer to total comfort and satisfaction when we arrived at Meadows of Dan, Va. Meadows of Dan is a highway stop at the intersection of Virginia US-58 and the Blue Ridge Parkway. This community is comprised of a few tourist stores which sell the normal “goodies” along with fresh fruits and vegetables which are grown locally, along with a couple of gas stations, a fire station and a couple of “country cookin” restaurants……….

The head waters of the Dan River is near Meadows of Dan

About a half mile north, on the Blue Ridge Parkway, from Meadows of Dan is a place named Mabry Mill. Here is the home of a grist mill from the early days and is probably one of the most photographed buildings in the world. The likeness of this mill is on millions of calendars, collector plates, nick nacks, and other paraphernalia. The Mabry Mill complex includes a replica of a settler home, a working black smith shop and other displays of old mountain life. The grounds are beautiful and very well groomed.

During the summer months local musicians sometimes gather to have jam sessions. These folks are non-professionals who just enjoy playing and singing traditional mountain and Irish music. This Sunday was no exception. There was guitar, banjo, “bull” base and mandolin. Also there were a few sheets of plywood laid on the grass to create a dance floor. Have you ever seen folks from an audience move to the dance floor to do impromptu “clogging” and “flat footing”????………… All that I can say is WOW……………………and America is still alive.

Mabry Mill is somewhat of a rest stop on the Blue Ridge Parkway. Along with the historic display, Mabry Mill has a restaurant so that you can restore your energy level from your day of playing tourist.

Mabry Mill

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February 28, 2025
Saura Tribe Native Americans

Native Americans Along The Dan River – Indians in the Dan Valley

The Dan River is named for an early Saura chief, Danapha. The Saura tribe already had villages in The Dan River Basin before the English began settling Virginia in the early 1600’s. There were a number of Indian towns located on the Dan River and its tributaries, the Smith and Mayo Rivers.

At the mouth of Goblintown Creek on Smith River in Patrick and Franklin Counties was a village, which is now under the waters of Philpott Lake. On the north side of the river, at the mouth of Nicholas or Jamison’s Creek was one of the largest Indian villages in the area.

On the Dan River were the historic Saura villages of Upper Saura Town (Stokes County) and Lower Saura Town (Rockingham County). Upper Saura Town , the Mayo River Village site, and the Philpott Archaeological Site were all located on the Tutelo-Saura Path, an Indian trail running from the Valley of Virginia to the Carolina Piedmont. The Native Americans living in the Fairy Stone State Park and Philpott Reservoir area when the English first came were the Saura (Cheraw) Indians.

There are few historical references to the Saura people. References do appear in English records. John Lederer reported visiting Saura villages along the Yadkin River, Catawba River, and Dan River in 1670.

Upper Saura Town & Lower Saura Town

In 1728, William Byrd conducted an expedition to survey the North Carolina and Virginia boundary, and reported finding two Saura villages on the Dan River, known as Lower Saura Town and Upper Saura Town. The towns had been abandoned by the time of Byrd’s visit.

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This is a view of the Dan River as seen from the bridge of highway US-311 in southeastern Stokes County. This bridge is about midway between the towns of Madison and Walnut Cove. The historical marker for the Upper Saura Town is located near the western end of the bridge and on the south shoulder of the highway.

Several miles down river is the Lower Saura Town, also on the Dan River and near the present city of Eden. The historical marker is located about 1/2 mile south of the river on highway NC-14 at the intersection of Town Creek Road.

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(The photographs are courtesy of Buck Woods)

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The Dan River Basin was home to the Saura Indians
Saura–Wikipedia

Saura Tribe Native Americans

The Dan River actually played a part in the American War of Independence. This fact is not well known and did not win the war for the Americans, but it did have an effect on the Battle Of Guilford Courthouse.

The Guilford Courthouse engagement between General Green, leading the Americans, and General Cornwallis, who was the commander of the British legions, was an extremely important event leading to the surrender of the British Army to the Americans at Yorktown.

It seems that Cornwallis chased Green and the Americans from Charlotte to Greensboro, across the State of North Carolina from border to border. The American mountain men had kicked ass at Kings Mountain and Cow Pens. Cornwallis was pissed. Both armies were tired about this time. General Green marched past Guilford Courthouse, which is the present day city of Greensboro and to the Dan River along the North Carolina and Virginia border.

Green had some how managed to get enough boats to ferry his army across the Dan River. Cornwallis was stopped by the river, because he did not have any boats. His army could have forded the river.

Cornwallis knew that Green’s sharp shooters would have a field day with his men wading across the Dan River. Since they were tired and hungry, Cornwallis decided to back track to Guilford Courthouse and give his men an opportunity to rest.

The crossings of the Dan River took place some where near present day Danville, Virginia.

The chase from Charlotte to Greensboro took more of a toll on the British that it did on the Americans. Cornwallis actually destroyed some of his wagons and supplies in the belief that his army could/would move faster without the baggage.

General Green decided that it was time to stop running from the British army. He recrossed the Dan River and marched his smaller army toward Guilford Courthouse which is about 30 miles south of the Dan River.

A battle that General Cornwallis had wanted for several weeks was about to happen. Although the British were stronger, there were a couple of things not in their favor. First of all, Cornwallis did not pick the battlefield and most important, he did not dream that Green would have the audacity to turn and attack a professional British army.

The battle lasted for less than 3 hours with the Americans retreating and leaving the battlefield in the hands of Cornwallis and his British army. Greene’s retreat preserved the strength of his army, but Cornwallis’s frail victory was won at the cost of over 25% of his soldiers, dead or wounded. General Cornwallis is credited with saying ……

“Another victory like this and I will not have an army with which to fight.”

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The Battle at Guilford Courthouse was the last major engagement between the American and British armies before the British surrender at Yorktown. From Guilford Courthouse (present day Greensboro), Cornwallis marched to the port city of Wilmington, NC, where he was resupplied by the British navy.

From Wilmington the British Army moved north toward Virginia. Green followed closely on his heels. At the same time Washington was marching south. The British navy was sailing south from New York to evacuate Cornwallis and his army from the southern states. The French navy was moving to intercept the British navy.

Everything converged at Yorktown and the rest is history.

The French navy arrived in the Chesapeake Bay before the British navy. The British commander decided not to engage the French ships, so they retreated, which left Cornwallis and the British army stranded.

Dan River Revolutionary War

Johnson’s Family Grill

Location – 142A W Murphy St, Madison, NC 27025-1924

Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, Brunch

No real frills here—this is the classic “hole in the wall”, and I mean that in a very positive way.

Everything about this little place is good. Folks are friendly and always smiling. Try Johnson burger, hot dogs, fish sandwich or BBQ.

Johnson’s Family Grill

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December 2, 2024

Southern Spirits

Location – 119 E Murphy St
Madison, NC 27025

Hours of Operation

Mon Closed
Tue Closed
Wed 5:00 pm – 10:00 pm
Thu 5:00 pm – 11:00 pm
Fri 5:00 pm – 1:00 am
Sat 5:00 pm – 1:00 am
Sun Closed

Southern Spirits

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December 1, 2024

The Dan Valley

The Dan Valley/Dan River Basin is not an overly large area. Actually it is comprised of about 3300 square miles. The basin is about twice the size of Yosemite National Park in California. The area is somewhat mountainous, lots of rolling hills and has an abundant water supply with many rivers and lakes. The terrain is wooded and dotted by small farms.

The valley is populated by folks of German, Irish and Scotch decent. Generally the residents are hard working, patriotic and loyal to each other.

Over the years the residents have made a living off of the land. Most have been, and a lot still are, small farmers. Farming is a tough way to make a living so as the population grows the younger folks tend to commute to the surrounding cities for jobs.

The Dan Valley lies between four large metropolitan areas of North Carolina and Virginia. In North Carolina it is the Piedmont Triad … composed of Greensboro,Winston Salem and High Point … and the Research Triangle which is composed of Raleigh,Durham, Chapel Hill and Cary. In Virginia there is the Roanoke/Salem area and the Richmond area. These metro areas have a combined population in excess of 5 million people.

In the middle of all of this is the Dan Valley/Dan River Basin with a few thousand hard working folks who would like to join their neighbors in the 21st century. Maybe you should look at this area as a place to locate your business and a place to raise your family.

Danville, Va is the largest city in the Dan Valley. Other towns are Martinsville, Va, South Boston, Va, Madison, NC, and Eden, NC. For years, the largest industries were agriculture, furniture and textiles. Today the employment situation is in transition.

Recommended Links

Blog

Mabry Mill

Native Americans Along The Dan River – Indians in the Dan Valley

(The photographs are courtesy of Buck Woods)

Saura Tribe Native Americans

Dan River Revolutionary War

Johnson’s Family Grill

Location – 119 E Murphy St Madison, NC 27025

Hours of Operation

Southern Spirits

Location – 119 E Murphy St
Madison, NC 27025