Kauffmans Mill

Kauffmans Mill Kauffman's Mill is a historic site on the Shenandoah River in Page County, Virginia. Three mills stood on the site, spanning nearly 200 years (1775–1972).

Today, only the stone ruins remain as a reminder of this center of 18th & 19th century commerce. For nearly 200 years, a series of three flouring mills and four sawmills stood near the White House Bend of the Shenandoah River about three miles west of Luray. The first was built circa 1775 by David Kauffman, son of the Valley pioneer, Martin Kauffman I. This mill stood for nearly a century before b

eing burned by Union cavalry during the Civil War on October 2, 1864. After the war, a second mill quickly emerged from the ashes in 1866 only to be destroyed four years later by the Great Flood of 1870. The third and last mill was erected in 1871. It stood until the ravages of time and tides required its removal in 1972. It began, and it ended as “Kauffman’s Mill,” but along the way it was owned, either in whole
or in part, by the Kauffmans, the Rhoads, the Almonds, the Keysers, the Stricklers, the Maucks, and finally the Kauffmans once again. During the 19th century, the grand old mills served as a centerpiece of Massanutten commerce. Flour produced here was shipped downriver as far as Georgetown on long,
narrow flatboats called “gundalows.” From there, coastal schooners carried it to Richmond, Fredericksburg, Baltimore, and Philadelphia. Flatboat commerce gave way to the railroads in the 1880s, after which much of the flour produced by Kauffman’s Mill was shipped to North Carolina to serve the lumber camps. Operations ceased when the turbine was destroyed by the “Great Saint Patrick’s Day Flood” of 1936.

04/11/2026
04/04/2026

Please join us on Saturday, April 18th for our second annual Trash Free Shenandoah cleanup! We'll be removing trash and invasive plants from the banks of the South Fork. No experience necessary - just bring a pair of gloves, a bottle of water, and a smile.

All volunteers who participate in any of the Shenandoah Riverkeeper's cleanups will be entered to win an Old Town 106 kayak with a 45-lb. thrust 12V saltwater-ready trolling motor! Special thanks to Front Royal Outdoors for generously donating this amazing piece of equipment in support of river cleanups.

Learn more and register at https://www.whfarmfoundation.org/event-info/trash-free-shenandoah-cleanup-2.

If you've ventured down Kauffman's Mill Road this week, you may have noticed something new along the riverbank near the ...
03/22/2026

If you've ventured down Kauffman's Mill Road this week, you may have noticed something new along the riverbank near the mill ruins...let us explain....

Last year, the White House Farm Foundation reached out to us about partnering with them and the Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay to address the invasive Japanese Hops growing along the riverbank on our shared property border. This week, a team from Shenandoah Habitats prepared the site and planted over 200 trees in the area of Kauffman's Mill, where once ran the millrace that powered the mill for over 150 years. Behind those rows of 5' tube shelters are a dozen varieties of flowering, nut & fruit-bearing, and tall trees. Within a few years, the shade canopy will naturally starve out the Japanese Hops and create a healthier ecosystem for wildlife along the Shenandoah River. We are grateful to be a part of this collaboration and want to thank our neighbors up the road for including us in this program! Thanks, White House Farm Foundation!

Historical aside: Some of you will remember (and maybe even swam in!) the millrace before it was permanently filled in by the Flood of 1985. It was a favorite swimming spot for many years...more on that in a future post. We've included some photos from back in the day, as well as some pics of the newly planted trees.

The White House looks amazing!!
12/24/2025

The White House looks amazing!!

Science at work! Very cool work going on inside of the White House…
11/19/2025

Science at work! Very cool work going on inside of the White House…

11/11/2025

Honoring all who have served on this !

The Kauffman-Mauck Cemetery is the final resting place for six veterans:
David Kauffman - Revolutionary War
Daniel Kauffman - War of 1812
Lt. John W. Mauck - CSA
Philip M. Kauffman - CSA
Joseph F. Kauffman - CSA
Stephen H. Kauffman - Army (Vietnam)

40 years ago today, Nov. 4, 1985, it began to rain. And it rained and it rained. The result was the Great Flood of 1985,...
11/04/2025

40 years ago today, Nov. 4, 1985, it began to rain. And it rained and it rained. The result was the Great Flood of 1985, when the banks of the Shenandoah River swelled to its second highest mark on record on Nov. 5th. Kauffman's Mill experienced its share of floods through the years. The flood of 1896 washed out the saw mill and part of the mill foundation. By the time the flood of 1942 surrounded the mill, operations had already ceased but it further eroded the structural integrity of the building. The flood of 1985 was the final blow - the only remaining part of the structure, the 1936 bath house addition, was carried away by the flood waters. All that remains today is the stone foundation. For reference, the 1985 flood waters reached the top of the concrete wall in front of the 1820 House that sits across the road from the mill site.

Just a ways down Kauffman’s Mill Road, the White House renovation is full steam ahead! Looking great!
10/07/2025

Just a ways down Kauffman’s Mill Road, the White House renovation is full steam ahead! Looking great!

No news story about the White House restoration would be complete without a shout-out to Kauffman’s Mill! We’re famous! ...
10/02/2025

No news story about the White House restoration would be complete without a shout-out to Kauffman’s Mill! We’re famous! 😂

https://pagevalleynews.com/video-page-valley-livin-explores-the-rehab-of-the-historic-white-house/?fbclid=IwZnRzaANLOdlleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHpLrPO1j1ECmDEqUa7fYk2RW1TU4UVcgcdxRKtXGjLr_RC7x227RTGEMR7Os_aem_x1vRmpV9dNcCVd-J4MwWCw

Page Valley News (PageValleyNews.com) is an online local news site and an independent, locally owned community website serving Page County, Virginia. We provide daily news updates for Luray, Stanley, and Shenandoah.

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1059 Kauffmans Mill Road
Luray, VA
22835

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