One of my clients suggested doing her senior pictures at Colvin Run Mill, and I knew immediately it was a great idea! Because it is in Fairfax County and I live in Loudoun County, it wasn’t really at the top of my mind for locations. But I grew up in northern Virginia and remember coming to Colvin Run Mill when I was a little girl. And I brought my own children here for picnics, tours, and some of the Christmas festivities. I haven’t been to a concert yet, but that is on my list once the concert series starts up again.
Colvin Run Mill was originally owned by George Washington and is the only operational 19th century water-powered mill in the DC area. It was one of the first mills to use some of the innovative automation ideas of Oliver Evans, and required very little manual labor to turn grain into flour. The mill was operational until 1934, when it was abandoned. In 1965 Fairfax County purchased the property, restored it, and reopened it as a historical site in 1972. The property includes a gristmill, a miller’s house, and a dairy barn. lt offers daily tours, educational programs (my kids attended a few), special events and outdoor concerts. And the mill still operates on the first and third Sundays of each month, April through October!
So if you are looking for a beautiful historic location for your senior photos, Colvin Run Mill may fit the bill! The grounds are beautiful and quiet. There’s plenty of nature, green trees, benches, even a pond. And there are a variety of buildings that make great backdrops. You can get a lot of different looks in one fairly compact location!
Interested? I’d love to take your senior pictures at Colvin Run Mill. Drop me a line here!
Gallery of Senior Pictures at Colvin Run Mill
