Virginia Department of Historic Resources Virginia Department of Historic Resources
For additional information, read the Nomination Form PDF
VLR Listing Date 03/16/2005
NRHP Listing Date 05/26/2005
NRHP Reference Number 05000481
The Grahams Forge Mill in Wythe County is one of the outstanding late-19th-century architectural gems of southwest Virginia. Although utilitarian in function, it is nevertheless a stunning site of rustic beauty: a five-story building on a stone foundation, with a flaking whitewashed, weathered, gray wood exterior; original windows and doors with stylish surrounds and proportionally correct dormers; a paneled frieze below broad eaves; a rusting silver tin roof; and a wonderful little cupola with star motif and decorative cresting. The Grahams Forge Mill and its complement of outbuildings possess outstanding architectural integrity, and many of the mill’s workings remain in place inside the structures. The current mill, constructed ca. 1890 and operated until 1934, was the third one to occupy the site. Its predecessors were the former Graham’s Forge that featured a furnace, iron rolling mill, and nail factory, and the earlier Crockett Forge, which was established in 1796. The site is named for David Graham, who acquired the forge in 1826 and later left it to his son, Major David P. Graham.
Many properties listed in the registers are private dwellings and are not open to the public, however many are visible from the public right-of-way. Please be respectful of owner privacy.
Abbreviations:
VLR: Virginia Landmarks Register
NPS: National Park Service
NRHP: National Register of Historic Places
NHL: National Historic Landmark
Updated: October 7, 2021
