Fries (pronounced Freeze) New River Trail RV Park, Fries, Virginia

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 The missus and I are spending this week in the southern Virginia mountain town of Fries. This was once a mill town, as evidenced by the dam, the old textile mill building, and the small company houses that make up most of the older residences in the town.



Here is what I learned about the mill.

"The Fries Textile Mill was established in 1903 by Col. Thomas Fries, then the president of Wachovia Bank. He built the mill on a bend in the New River, which he had dammed in order to provide power for his new venture. The mill provided employment to almost everyone in the town of Fries and many others living nearby. When the mill closed in 1989, it still employed 1,700 people."12

The southern end of The New River Trail is located a short way downriver from the dam. This trail is part of the Virginia State Parks system.

"The New River Trail is a 57-mile linear park that follows an abandoned railroad right-of-way. The park parallels the scenic and historic New River for 39 miles and passes through four counties and the city of Galax. The trail’s gentle slope makes it great for visitors of all ages to hike, bike and ride horseback."3

Fries also hosts mountain music festivals and car shows.

Being a small town, Fries doesn't have many options when it comes to dining, but the missus and I did find the Windy River Cafe on our first full day here and enjoyed a delicious lunch.


The sign says it is open Tuesday through Sunday, but we ate there on Monday. I told the missus that there is a ghost story in there somewhere.

There is much more for us to explore in this area, and, Thursday evening, there is a mountain music jam right here in Fries a short walk from the campground.

Citations

1. https://scuablog.lib.vt.edu/2019/08/15/processing-the-fries-textile-mill-collection/

2. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fries,_Virginia

3. https://www.dcr.virginia.gov/state-parks/new-river-trail

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