Social Studies Field Trips

Colvin Run Mill

Image courtesy of Fairfax County Parks

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GENERAL INFORMATION FOR PUBLIC

NAME: Colvin Run Mill
STREET: 10017 Colvin Run Rd.
CITY: Great Falls	STATE: VA	ZIP: 22066	COUNTY: Fairfax
PHONE: 703-759-2771		FEES: Adults $ 4.00; seniors and children 5 years and over $2.00; students 16+ $3.00 with ID.
HOURS AND DAYS: Daily except Tuesday - Jan and Feb 11-4 last tour at 3pm. March through December - 11 - 5 last tour at 4pm.

GRADES: 2 4 5	UNITS: Food, P&C, G&S, Rural, MD History, Westward
CONTACT: anyone on staff	PHONE: 703-759-2771
TYPE: Mill	FEES: $3.00 per student, $4.00 per adult (teacher free)
DAYS: M W Th F	HOURS: 10 am - 12 pm (closed Jan. - Feb.)
LUNCH: Picnic area (barn available if it rains)
GROUP SIZE: 60 - 70
HANDICAPPED ACCESS: yes
LENGTH OF TOUR: 2 hours for tour and education program combined

DESCRIPTION: Tour includes three learning centers:

1. Mill built c. 1811-20. Learn how grain was ground into flour.
2. General store, c. 1900. Learn about rural village life.
3. Dairy Barn, location for hands-on programs.

Teachers may choose one of two field trip programs. "Tools" where children use hand tools that were used to build the mill and "Simple Machines" where children learn about the simple machines that made work easier before electricity.

Field trip programs are offered September through December and March through June.

Teachers are encouraged to view an 11 minute videotape about the mill prior to their visit as preparation for their visit. This videotape also shows the mill in operation. The mill is not usually operated for school tours and, at present, we are not operational because the waterwheel is being replaced. The videotape is available from the MCPS instructional video library.

Reservations are accepted after Aug. 1 for September, and in September for the spring. Book early. Children MUST dress for the weather.

This is the only operational water-powered grist mill remaining in Fairfax County, Virginia. It was primarily a merchant mill engaged in the business of buying grain and grinding it for market, rather than a custom mill which ground grain to the customer's order. Grain products from this mill were exported from Alexandria, Virginia, as well as marketed across northern Virginia via a network of roads.

RESOURCES

• Letter to teacher and learning kit. The learning kit includes 12 pages of descriptions, terms and exercises to be done by the students.
• MCPS Activity Plan For This Field Trip Site

  Field Trip Planning Tools

  • MCPS Field Trip Checklist
  • Items to Bring on the Trip
  • Field Trip Tips
  • Tips for Primary Grades

  Internet Sites

  • Colvin Run Mill home page