Blue Ridge Mountains

MVJ on August 28th, 2008

The Blue Ridge Mountains have been home for the Saponi, Cherokee, Monacan, and Tutelo indians. They have witnessed battles of the French and the British, and the Blue and the Gray. These mountains have been the outpost of the frontier settlers, and they have given coal and timber for a growing nation. Today, they offer refuge for the miner, recreation for the masses, and retreat for the millionaire.

The slopes of these gentle giants formed the background of my childhood. In most every occasion, they were standing like a silent witness, watching my life unfold, as they did for several generations of my family before me. Though I have moved and the people and places have changed, these blue, hazy, peaks welcome my return whenever I get the opportunity.
Though the Blue Ridge may seem the unchanging backdrop of the flow of events, its future and what it offers us all, is uncertain. Disease, unchecked urban sprawl, pollution, and mass apathy all have the potential to reduce its beauty to mere ashes in a generation. Perhaps if more of us who love these mountains performed small acts of kindness for them, we could rightly hope to pass on this treasure when our steps here have ended.

The Blue Ridge Parkway

For seventy years, this highway known as ‘America’s Favorite Scenic Drive’ has delighted tourists with its unparalleled vistas of the Blue Ridge Mountains as well as its unique look into America’s rural past. Stretching over 450 miles from Shenandoah National Park in Virgina to Great Smoky Mountains National Park in North Carolina, the Blue Ridge Parkway receives more visitors annually than any other property in the National Parks System. (top)

Blue Ridge Parkway Links-

History of the Blue Ridge Parkway
National Park Service Information
Blue Ridge Parkway Vacation Planner
Blue Ridge Parkway Guide Book
Protect the Parkway – Volunteer: FRIENDS of the Blue Ridge Parkway
(top)

The Civilian Conservation Corps-

The Blue Ridge Parkway would not exist without these brave, hardworking men who forged this trail in the Great Depression, often with little more than hand tools. The tremendous achievement and great skill of these unsung heroes can be seen in the many structures they created for our enjoyment. (top)