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77-678: Skyline Drive is a 105-mile (169 km) National Parkway that runs the entire length of the National Park Service 's Shenandoah National Park in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia , generally along the ridge of the mountains. The drive's northern terminus is at an intersection with U.S. Route 340 (US 340) near Front Royal , and the southern terminus is at an interchange with US 250 near Interstate 64 (I-64) in Rockfish Gap , where

154-578: A camp store, and food service . Skyline Drive continues along and comes to the Jeremys Run Overlook on the west side of the road before it winds to the east. The roadway comes to the east-facing Thornton Hollow Overlook and heads back to the south, coming to the Beahms Gap Parking on the west side of the road. The drive traverses Pass Mountain as it continues to the south. Skyline Drive comes to an interchange with US 211 at

231-662: A city's boundaries, eventually limiting their recreational driving use. The Arroyo Seco Parkway between Downtown Los Angeles and Pasadena, California , is an example of lost pastoral aesthetics. It and others have become major commuting routes, while retaining the name parkway. In the 1930s, as part of the New Deal , the U.S. federal government constructed national parkways designed for recreational driving, and to commemorate historic trails and routes. As with other roads through national parks, these mostly undivided and two-lane parkways have lower speed limits , and are maintained by

308-512: A cost of $ 1,235,177 (equivalent to $ 21.3 million in 2023,). The portion of Skyline Drive from Swift Run Gap to Jarman Gap was opened to traffic on August 29, 1939, costing $ 1,666,528 (equivalent to $ 28.7 million in 2023,). The road between Jarman Gap and Rockfish Gap was built as part of the Blue Ridge Parkway and was completed on August 11, 1939, at a cost of $ 358,636 (equivalent to $ 6.17 million in 2023,). This section of

385-468: A cut. The tunnel was justified as a money-saving measure but was also suggested to challenge Bureau of Public Roads and National Park Service landscape architects. With the official establishment of Shenandoah National Park in 1935, the CCC hired 300 men, most of whom were not local to the area, to continue to build Skyline Drive. On October 1, 1936, the drive was completed between Front Royal and Thornton Gap at

462-602: A shawl in thanks, which is displayed at Shako:wi, the museum of the Oneida Nation near Syracuse, New York . Many Oneida believe that after the war, George Washington named the Shenandoah River and valley after his ally. Despite the valley's potential for productive farmland, colonial settlement from the east was long delayed by the barrier of the Blue Ridge Mountains . These were crossed by explorers John Lederer at Manassas Gap in 1671, Batts and Fallam

539-547: A visit to Skyland. In 1929, President Herbert Hoover, who established a summer home in the area, called for the roadway to be built along the Blue Ridge Mountains. The road was proposed to be named Hoover Highway, but would instead become known as Skyline Drive. Field survey for the roadway began in January 1931. On July 18 of that year, an official groundbreaking for Skyline Drive took place. The first section of

616-572: A winding path, straddling the border of Warren and Rappahannock counties, and runs parallel to the Appalachian Trail , which closely follows Skyline Drive for the remainder of its route. The road curves southwest and reaches the summit of North Marshall. Upon reaching the south-facing Range View Overlook, the roadway turns to the west along a winding path, bending southwest. The drive passes the Mount Marshall Overlook on

693-535: Is Interstate 81 , which parallels the old Valley Turnpike ( U.S. Route 11 ) and the ancient Great Path of the Native Americans through its course in the valley. In the lower (northern) valley, on the eastern side, U.S. Route 340 also runs north-south, starting from Waynesboro in the south, running through the Page Valley to Front Royal , and on to Harpers Ferry, West Virginia , where it exits

770-529: Is Whiteoak Canyon Parking on the east side of the road. The drive continues to the south and passes Limberlost Parking on the east side and the west-facing Timber Hollow Overlook. The roadway then winds south past Bettys Rock. Farther to the south, Skyline Drive reaches Hawksbill Gap Parking, where a trail leads to Hawksbill Mountain , the highest peak in Shenandoah National Park at 4,051 feet (1,235 m). The road continues along and comes to

847-695: Is a ranger station, restrooms, a campground, picnic grounds, food, and lodging. Big Meadows is also site of the Byrd Visitor Center and a wayside with a restaurant, gas station , gift shop , and camp store. Past here, Skyline Drive continues along a southerly track. At the Milam Gap Parking, a trail leads east to the Rapidan Camp , where President Herbert Hoover had a summer residence from 1929 to 1932. The road passes Hazeltop before it passes through Bootens Gap, where it straddles

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924-577: Is a two-lane road that has 75 overlooks providing views of the Shenandoah Valley to the west and the Piedmont to the east. The drive provides access to numerous trails, including the Appalachian Trail , and it is also used for cycling and horseback riding . Skyline Drive is the main road through Shenandoah National Park and has access to campgrounds , visitor centers , and resorts such as Skyland Resort and Big Meadows . The scenic drive

1001-687: Is designated a National Scenic Byway . Skyline Drive begins at an intersection with US 340 south of Front Royal in Warren County , heading east into dense forests in Shenandoah National Park as a two-lane undivided road. The road curves south and passes through the Front Royal Entrance Station, where a ranger station is located. At this point, the drive winds south and ascends the Blue Ridge Mountains . The roadway heads southwest and comes to

1078-697: Is home to restrooms and picnic grounds. The roadway heads southwest and comes to an interchange with US 33 at the Swift Run Gap Entrance Station, which is situated in Swift Run Gap east of Elkton and west of Stanardsville . Following the US ;33 interchange, Skyline Drive heads southwest. The roadway passes through Smith Roach Gap and comes to the Bacon Hollow Overlook to the south, where it curves to

1155-528: Is located east of Waynesboro and west of Charlottesville . At this interchange, Skyline Drive ends and the road continues to the south as the Blue Ridge Parkway . Fees are collected at each of the four entry points to Skyline Drive, which are located in Front Royal, Thornton Gap, Swift Run Gap, and Rockfish Gap. The fee is not a toll charged to drive on the road, but rather an entry fee for

1232-440: Is now Martinsburg, West Virginia . In the late 1720s and 1730s, Quakers and Mennonites began to move in from Pennsylvania . They were tolerated by the natives, while " Long Knives " (English settlers from coastal Virginia colony ) were less welcomed. During these same decades, the valley route continued to be used by war parties of Seneca (Iroquois) and Lenape en route from New York, Pennsylvania and New Jersey to attack

1309-620: Is of unknown Native American origin. It has been described as being derived from the Anglicization of Native American terms, resulting in words such as Gerando, Gerundo, Genantua, Shendo and Sherando. The meaning of these words is of some question. Schin-han-dowi , the "River Through the Spruces"; On-an-da-goa , the "River of High Mountains" or "Silver-Water"; and an Iroquois word for "Big Meadow", have all been proposed by Native American etymologists . The most popular, romanticized belief

1386-495: Is particularly popular in the fall for leaf peeping when the leaves are changing colors . Plans for the road date back to 1924 when a national park was planned in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia and the main feature was to be a "sky-line drive" providing views of the surrounding land. President Herbert Hoover , who had a summer home at Rapidan Camp , called for the construction of the road. Groundbreaking for Skyline Drive took place in 1931. The first section, which originally

1463-709: Is that the name comes from a Native American expression for "Beautiful Daughter of the Stars". Another legend relates that the name is derived from the name of the Iroquoian chief Sherando (Sherando was also the name of his people), who fought against the Algonquian Chief Opechancanough , ruler of the Powhatan Confederacy (1618–1644). Opechancanough liked the interior country so much that he sent his son Sheewa-a-nee from

1540-597: The Capitol Limited route. Amtrak also runs the Cardinal through the valley along the old Virginia Central. Several localities in the valley operate public transportation systems, including Front Royal Area Transit (FRAT), which provides weekday transit for the town of Front Royal; Page County Transit , providing weekday transit for the town of Luray and weekday service between Luray and Front Royal; and Winchester Transit , which provides weekday transit for

1617-765: The Colonial Parkway in eastern Virginia's Historic Triangle area. The George Washington Memorial Parkway and the Clara Barton Parkway , running along the Potomac River near Washington, D.C. , were also constructed during this era. Four parkways are stand-alone units of the National Park System : Blue Ridge Parkway, George Washington Parkway, John D. Rockefeller Memorial Parkway, and Natchez Trace Parkway. Others are managed as part of another unit. The Great River Road

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1694-711: The East Coast of the United States such as Washington, D.C. , and settled on the current site of Shenandoah National Park. As part of the recommendation for the park was the "greatest single feature" to be a "sky-line drive" that would provide views of the Shenandoah Valley to the west and the Piedmont to the east. The idea for the roadway was suggested by committee member William C. Gregg to Board of Shenandoah Valley, Inc. member L. Ferdinand Zerkel during

1771-652: The Eastern Parkway and Ocean Parkway in Brooklyn, New York . The terminology "parkway" to define this type of road was coined by Calvert Vaux and Olmsted in their proposal to link city and suburban parks with "pleasure roads." Newer roads such as the Bidwell and Lincoln Parkways in Buffalo, New York , were designed for automobiles and are broad and divided by large landscaped central medians. Parkways can be

1848-1016: The National Park Service and the Federal Highway Administration jointly through the Federal Lands Transportation Program. An example is the Civilian Conservation Corps -built Blue Ridge Parkway in the Appalachian Mountains of North Carolina and Virginia . Others are: Skyline Drive in Virginia ; John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Memorial Parkway in Wyoming , the Natchez Trace Parkway in Mississippi , Alabama , and Tennessee ; and

1925-702: The National Register of Historic Places on April 28, 1997. On September 22, 2005, Skyline Drive was designated a National Scenic Byway. Skyline Drive was designated a National Historic Landmark in October 2008 for its pioneering place in the development of national parks in the eastern United States. National Parkway The first parkways in the United States were developed in the late 19th century by landscape architects Frederick Law Olmsted and Beatrix Farrand as roads segregated for pedestrians, bicyclists, equestrians, and horse carriages , such as

2002-628: The Tidewater with a large party to colonize the valley. Sheewa-a-nee drove Sherando back to his former territory near the Great Lakes . According to this account, descendants of Sheewanee's party became the Shawnee . According to tradition, another branch of Iroquoians, the Senedo , lived in present-day Shenandoah County. They were exterminated by "Southern Indians" ( Catawba or Cherokee ) before

2079-596: The Valley Pike or Valley Turnpike) began as the Great Warriors Trail or Indian Road, a Native road through common hunting grounds shared by several tribes settled around the periphery, which included Iroquoian , Siouan and Algonquian -language family tribes. Known native settlements within the Valley were few but included the Shawnee occupying the region around Winchester, and Tuscarora around what

2156-399: The Blue Ridge Parkway was given to Shenandoah National Park in 1961 and became the southernmost portion of Skyline Drive. The creation of the park and the construction of Skyline Drive resulted in many people losing their homes either voluntarily or forcibly; several homes within the present-day park were razed. Skyline Drive was originally lined with miles of chestnut log guardrails. However,

2233-476: The Blue Ridge at Swift Run Gap and reached the river at Elkton, Virginia . Settlers did not immediately follow, but someone who heard the reports and later became the first permanent settler in the Valley was Adam Miller (Mueller), who in 1727 staked out claims on the south fork of the Shenandoah River, near the line that now divides Rockingham County from Page County. The Great Wagon Road (later called

2310-490: The British and Iroquois allies. According to Oneida oral tradition, during the harsh winter of 1777–1778 at Valley Forge , where the colonials suffered, Chief Skenando provided aid to the soldiers. The Oneida delivered bushels of dry corn to the troops to help them survive. Polly Cooper, an Oneida woman, stayed some time with the troops to teach them how to cook the corn properly and care for the sick. General Washington gave her

2387-549: The Confederates through the use of scorched-earth tactics. The Valley, especially in the lower northern section, was also the scene of bitter partisan fighting as the region's inhabitants were deeply divided over loyalties, and Confederate partisan John Mosby and his Rangers frequently operated in the area. A series of newspaper mergers, ending in 1914, established the Daily News-Record of Harrisonburg as

Skyline Drive - Misplaced Pages Continue

2464-626: The Meadow Spring Parking before coming to the south-facing Pinnacles Overlook, where it winds to the west. Skyline Drive reaches the Jewell Hollow Overlook that faces to the west and heads southwest straddling the border of Page and Madison counties. The road passes Pinnacles, where restrooms and picnic grounds are located, and runs through the Hughes River Gap. The drive continues to the south and passes

2541-694: The Shenandoah Valley Overlook on the west side of the road. Skyline Drive winds south and reaches the Dickey Ridge Visitor Center, which has a ranger station, picnic grounds , and restrooms . Farther south, the roadway reaches Dickey Hill. The road continues southerly to the Gooney Knob Overlook facing southwest, at which point it turns to the east and winds through Low Gap. The drive heads east to an overlook at Compton Gap, where it bends south along

2618-655: The Stony Man Overlook and the Little Stony Man Parking on the west side of the road, where a trail leads to Stony Man Mountain . Farther along, the roadway bends to the west along a winding stretch. Skyline Drive reaches its highest point at an elevation of 3,680 feet (1,120 m) and continues southwesterly. The road reaches Skyland, where the Skyland Resort is located offering food, lodging , and restrooms. Also located at this point

2695-626: The Thornton Gap Entrance Station, which is located in Thornton Gap to the east of Luray and the west of Sperryville . A ranger station is present at the entrance station. Past the US 211 interchange, Skyline Drive continues to the southeast past Panorama, which is site of restrooms. The road passes through the Marys Rock Tunnel under Mary's Rock and winds to the south. The roadway passes west of

2772-477: The Valley against three numerically superior Union armies. The final two were the Valley Campaigns of 1864 . First, in the summer of 1864, Confederate General Jubal Early cleared the Valley of its Union occupiers and then proceeded to raid Maryland, Pennsylvania, and D.C. Then during the autumn, Union General Philip Sheridan was sent to drive Early from the Valley and once-and-for-all deny its use to

2849-803: The Wildcat Ridge Parking Area before coming to the Crimora Lake Overlook that faces to the west. The roadway continues along past the Turk Mountain Overlook on the west side of the road prior to reaching the Turk Gap Parking to the east. The drive winding south through Jarman Gap before it curves southwest and continues to the west-facing Calf Mountain Overlook, where it turns to the southeast. Skyline Drive passes through Beagle Gap, winding to

2926-667: The approach to large urban parks, such as the Mystic Valley Parkway to Boston Common in Boston. Some separated express lanes from local lanes, though this was not always the case. During the early 20th century, the meaning of the word was expanded to include controlled-access highways designed for recreational driving of automobiles with landscaping. These parkways originally provided scenic routes without at-grade intersections, very slow vehicles, or pedestrian traffic. Their success led to more development however, expanding

3003-611: The arrival of white settlers. Another story dates to the American Revolutionary War . Throughout the war, Chief Skenandoa of the Oneida , an Iroquois nation based in New York , persuaded many of the tribe to side with the colonials against the British. Four Iroquois nations became British allies and caused many fatalities and damage in the frontier settlements west of Albany . Skenandoa led 250 warriors against

3080-634: The backcountry of the South . The Valley Turnpike Company improved the road by paving it with macadam prior to the Civil War and set up toll gates to collect fees to pay for the improvements. After the advent of motor vehicles, the road was refined and paved appropriately for their use. In the 20th century, the road was acquired by the Commonwealth of Virginia , which incorporated it into the state highway system as U.S. Route 11 . For much of its length,

3157-649: The backcountry of the South. This was in contrast to the chiefly English immigrants who had settled the Virginia Tidewater and Carolina Piedmont regions. Along with the Ulster Scots many Irishmen arrived in the Shenandoah valley, usually after their indentured service was up. These Irishmen usually had converted to Protestantism or kept their faith secret. In the 18th-century Thirteen Colonies and

Skyline Drive - Misplaced Pages Continue

3234-460: The border of Rockingham and Albemarle counties and continues to the south to the Loft Mountain Wayside, which is site of restrooms and food service. Skyline Drive heads southwest and comes to Loft Mountain, where a ranger station, restrooms, campground, and camp store are located. The drive heads past Browns Gap Parking before it comes to Dundo, where an overlook to the northwest, restrooms, picnic grounds, and Dundo Group Camp are located. From here,

3311-441: The boundary of Page and Greene counties. The roadway traverses Bush Mountain before coming to Bearface Mountain Parking at Bearface Mountain. Skyline Drive continues to the south to Lewis Mountain, where a campground, picnic grounds, lodging, and restrooms are located. The road heads along the border between Rockingham and Greene counties as it runs southerly. The drive continues to the south-southwest and reaches South River, which

3388-503: The city of Winchester . In addition, Shenandoah Valley Commuter Bus Service Archived May 11, 2008, at the Wayback Machine offers weekday commuter bus service from the northern Shenandoah Valley, including Shenandoah County and Warren County , to Northern Virginia ( Arlington County and Fairfax County ) and Washington . Origination points in Shenandoah County include Woodstock . Origination points in Warren County include Front Royal and Linden . The Shenandoah Valley serves as

3465-475: The daily newspaper of the Shenandoah Valley. In the late 20th century, the Valley's vineyards began to reach maturity. They constituted the new industry of the Shenandoah Valley American Viticultural Area . In 2018, a series of strikes and protests were held in Dayton 's Cargill plant. Transportation in the Shenandoah Valley consists mainly of road and rail and contains several metropolitan area transit authorities. The main north-south road transportation

3542-493: The distant Catawba in the Carolinas, with whom they were at war. The Catawba in turn pursued the war parties northward, often overtaking them by the time they reached the Potomac. Several fierce battles were fought among the warring nations in the Valley region, as attested by the earliest European-American settlers. Later colonists called this route the Great Wagon Road ; it became the major thoroughfare for immigrants' moving by wagons from Pennsylvania and northern Virginia into

3619-411: The east side, at which point it heads west. Skyline Drive reaches the Hogback Overlook on Hogback Mountain that faces northwest and turns southerly. The roadway heads west and straddles the boundary between Page and Rappahannock counties, coming to Mathews Arm, where a campground and ranger station are located. The drive turns to the south and comes to Elkwallow, which hosts restrooms, picnic grounds,

3696-442: The east-facing Old Rag View Overlook, where it turns to the west and passes south of Upper Hawksbill Parking. The drive comes to the west-facing Spitler Knoll Overlook and curves south. The roadway bends to the southwest and passes northwest of Dark Hollow Falls Parking, where a trail leads to the 70-foot (21 m) high Dark Hollow Falls , the closest waterfall to Skyline Drive. Past here, the road reaches Big Meadows , where there

3773-406: The following year. A free Annual Pass is also available for members of the United States Armed Forces , and fourth graders can get free admission for their whole family through the Every Kid in a Park Pass. In 1924, the Southern Appalachian National Park Committee was searching for a site for a national park in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia that would be easily accessible from major cities on

3850-400: The guardrails rotted and were removed in the 1950s and not replaced. The Marys Rock Tunnel was partially lined with concrete in 1958 to prevent icicles in the winter and water seepage in the summer. In 1983, the Federal Highway Administration began work to replace several of the original stone walls on the drive with concrete walls that used the original stone as a veneer. The road was added to

3927-570: The independent United States, while interethnic marriage among Catholics remained a dominant pattern, Catholic-Protestant intermarriage became more common (notably in the Shenandoah Valley where intermarriage among Ulster Protestants and the significant minority of Irish Catholics in particular was not uncommon or stigmatized), and while fewer Catholic parents required that their children be disinherited in their wills if they renounced Catholicism, it remained more common among Catholic parents to do so if their children renounced their parents' faith than it

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4004-420: The newer Interstate 81 , constructed in the 1960s, parallels the old Valley Pike. Along with the first German settlers, known as " Shenandoah Deitsch ", many Scotch-Irish immigrants came south in the 1730s from Pennsylvania into the valley, via the Potomac River . The Scotch-Irish comprised the largest group of non-English immigrants from the British Isles before the Revolutionary War , and most migrated into

4081-403: The north by the Potomac River , to the south by the James River , and to the Southwest by the New River Valley . The cultural region covers a larger area that includes all of the Valley plus the Virginia Highlands to the west and the Roanoke Valley to the south. It is physiographically located within the Ridge and Valley Province and is a portion of the Great Appalachian Valley . Named for

4158-452: The north, where the Shenandoah River joins the Potomac , the Valley cultural region contains 10 independent cities: The central section of the Shenandoah Valley is split in half by the Massanutten Mountain range, with the smaller associated Page Valley lying to its east and Fort Valley within the mountain range. The Shenandoah Valley contains a number of geologically and historically significant limestone caves: The word Shenandoah

4235-464: The number of passengers. An annual park pass costs $ 55.00 for a private non-commercial vehicle. Entrance can also be gained through the America the Beautiful Pass series. In this series, the Annual Pass costs $ 80.00, the Annual Senior Pass costs $ 20.00, the lifetime Senior Pass costs $ 80.00, the lifetime Access Pass allows free admission for persons with disabilities, and the Volunteer Pass allows free admission for volunteers who work 250 service hours for

4312-533: The old Manassas Gap Railroad and the Norfolk and Western and Chesapeake Western . There are also more modern lines that run the length of the valley parallel to the Valley Pike and U.S. 340. The rail lines are primarily used for freight transportation, though Maryland Area Rail Commuter (MARC) trains utilize the old B&O line from stations in Martinsburg , Duffields , and Harper's Ferry to Washington Union Station in Washington, D.C. , and vice versa. Amtrak utilizes Harpers Ferry and Martinsburg as well along

4389-419: The park itself. Various passes allow for admission to the park. A $ 30.00 pass is valid for unlimited entrances within a seven-day period for a private non-commercial vehicle. A seven-day pass costs $ 25.00 for motorcycles and $ 15.00 for individuals 16 years of age or older entering by means other than a private non-commercial vehicle. Commercial tours pay between $ 25.00 and $ 200.00 for a seven-day pass, depending on

4466-424: The parkway. Three different companies were awarded contracts for bituminous surfacing of the road. The section of Skyline Drive between Thornton Gap and Swift Run Gap opened in the middle part of 1934 and cost $ 1,570,479 (equivalent to $ 28 million in 2023,). This section of the roadway included the Marys Rock Tunnel, a tunnel that was bored through Marys Rock. A tunnel was constructed at this location as opposed to

4543-412: The river that stretches much of its length, the Shenandoah Valley encompasses eight counties in Virginia and two counties in West Virginia: The antebellum composition included four additional counties that are now in West Virginia as well as four additional Virginia counties: The cultural region includes five more counties in Virginia: Between the Roanoke Valley in the south and Harpers Ferry in

4620-416: The road continues south as the Blue Ridge Parkway . The road has intermediate interchanges with US 211 in Thornton Gap and US 33 in Swift Run Gap . Skyline Drive is part of Virginia State Route 48 , which also includes the Virginia portion of the Blue Ridge Parkway, but this designation is not signed . A park entrance fee is charged at the four access points to the drive. Skyline Drive

4697-421: The road continues southwesterly and passes to the west of Jones Run Parking, where a trail leads to Jones Run Falls, before heading east of Blackrock Summit Parking. Skyline Drive winds south past Blackrock and turns to the west. The roadway heads north before a hairpin turn to the south at Blackrock Gap, where it closely follows the border between Augusta and Albemarle counties. Further south, Skyline Drive passes

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4774-546: The road was to be built from the Rapidan Camp to the Skyland Resort, but would be extended from Swift Run Gap to Thornton Gap. The funds for the first stretch of the drive came from the Federal Drought Relief Administration and employed local farmers and apple pickers who suffered from a severe drought in 1930. In the later part of 1932, Congress approved $ 1 million (equivalent to $ 18.2 million in 2023,) in funds to construct Skyline Drive, which would extend from Front Royal to Swift Run Gap. The Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC)

4851-403: The road's path. Biking and horseback riding are other recreational activities that are allowed on the road. The drive is popular in the fall months for leaf peeping to view fall foliage . Skyline Drive is closed from dusk to dawn from November to early January to ensure rangers can control illegal hunting. The drive can also close for a short time following snow or ice storms. Skyline Drive

4928-666: The roadway since it was built. Skyline Drive was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1997, became a National Scenic Byway in 2005, and was designated a National Historic Landmark in 2008. Skyline Drive takes a winding north–south path along the mountaintops of the Blue Ridge Mountains east of the Shenandoah River from Front Royal to Rockfish Gap , serving as the only public road through Shenandoah National Park . There are four entrance points to Skyline Drive located at US 340 near I-66 in Front Royal, US 211 in Thornton Gap , US 33 in Swift Run Gap and US 250 near I-64 in Rockfish Gap. At

5005-424: The same year, and Cadwallader Jones in 1682. The Swiss Franz Ludwig Michel and Christoph von Graffenried explored and mapped the Valley in 1706 and 1712, respectively. Von Graffenried reported that the Indians of Senantona (Shenandoah) had been alarmed by news of the recent Tuscarora War in North Carolina . Governor Alexander Spotswood 's legendary Knights of the Golden Horseshoe Expedition of 1716 crossed

5082-492: The setting for the 1965 film Shenandoah and its 1974 musical adaptation . Both stories follow the Anderson family during the Civil War. An associated song by James Stewart titled "The Legend of Shenandoah" was a very minor hit in 1965, reaching #133 on the Billboard Bubbling Under the Hot 100 chart. One of the most famous cultural references to the area does not mention the valley itself: West Virginia's state song , " Take Me Home, Country Roads " by John Denver , contains

5159-423: The south end in Rockfish Gap it connects to the northern terminus of the Blue Ridge Parkway , a free-access road that continues southward along the Blue Ridge Mountains. On the west side of the drive, mileposts are present. They are numbered from 0 to 105 (north to south) and serve as reference points to directions in the drive. There are 75 overlooks throughout the drive, providing views of the Shenandoah Valley to

5236-442: The south. The roadway heads to the southwest and west to the north-facing McCormick Gap Overlook, where it curves back to the southwest. The drive continues along and passes through the Rockfish Gap Entrance Station, where a ranger station is located. Past here, the road heads south and comes to a bridge over I-64 before it reaches an interchange with US 250 that provides access to I-64 in Rockfish Gap in Augusta County, which

5313-485: The valley into Maryland. Major east-west roads cross the valley as well, providing access to the Piedmont and the Allegheny Mountains . Starting from the north, these routes include U.S. Route 50 , U.S. Route 522 , Interstate 66 , U.S. Route 33 , U.S. Route 250 , Interstate 64 , and U.S. Route 60 . CSX Transportation operates several rail lines through the valley, including the old Baltimore and Ohio Railroad , Virginia Central Railroad . Norfolk Southern operates

5390-424: The verge of declaring war on the Virginia Colony as a result, when Governor Gooch paid them the sum of 100 pounds sterling for any settled land in the Valley that was claimed by them. The following year at the Treaty of Lancaster , the Iroquois sold all their remaining claim to the Valley for 200 pounds in gold. The few Shawnees who still resided in the Valley abruptly headed westward in 1754, having been approached

5467-428: The west and the Piedmont to the east. The speed limit is 35 miles per hour (56 km/h) and is strictly enforced by park rangers. Bicycles, motor vehicles, and pedestrians share the road. There are also deer , black bears , turkey , and other wildlife, which may appear and cross the road without warning. Numerous trails can be accessed along the drive, including a portion of the Appalachian Trail , which follows

5544-496: The west. The drive heads through Powell Gap and reaches the west-facing Eaton Hollow Overlook, where it turns to the southwest and winds along. The road bends south and comes to a ranger station at Simmonds Gap. Skyline Drive continues southerly to the Loft Mountain Overlook on the east side, where it turns westerly before heading northwest. The roadway then makes a hairpin turn to the southwest. The road straddles

5621-638: The year before by emissaries from their kindred beyond the Alleghenies . The Shenandoah Valley was known as the breadbasket of the Confederacy during the Civil War and was seen as a backdoor for Confederate raids on Maryland , Washington , and Pennsylvania . Because of its strategic importance it was the scene of three major campaigns. The first was the Valley Campaign of 1862 , in which Confederate General Stonewall Jackson defended

5698-438: Was formed in 1933 and would have a hand in the construction of Skyline Drive. President Franklin D. Roosevelt was impressed with the scenery of the mountains and established the first CCC camps along Skyline Drive. These camps were the first to be placed in a national park. The CCC graded the slopes on both sides of the roadway, built guardrails and stone walls, constructed overlooks, and planted thousands of trees and shrubs along

5775-553: Was in the rest of the U.S. population. Governor Spotswood had arranged the Treaty of Albany with the Iroquois (Six Nations) in 1721, whereby they had agreed not to come east of the Blue Ridge in their raiding parties on tribes farther to the South. In 1736, the Iroquois began to object, claiming that they still legally owned the land to the west of the Blue Ridge; this led to a skirmish with Valley settlers in 1743. The Iroquois were on

5852-608: Was originally envisioned as a National Parkway. Shenandoah Valley The Shenandoah Valley ( / ˌ ʃ ɛ n ə n ˈ d oʊ ə / ) is a geographic valley and cultural region of western Virginia and the Eastern Panhandle of West Virginia in the United States. The Valley is bounded to the east by the Blue Ridge Mountains , to the west by the eastern front of the Ridge-and-Valley Appalachians (excluding Massanutten Mountain ), to

5929-465: Was to run from Rapidan Camp to Skyland, was extended between Swift Run Gap and Thornton Gap and opened in 1934. Skyline Drive was extended north to Front Royal in 1936 and south to Jarman Gap in 1939. The road between Jarman Gap and Rockfish Gap was built as part of the Blue Ridge Parkway in 1939 and was incorporated into Skyline Drive in 1961. The Civilian Conservation Corps played a large part in constructing Skyline Drive. Improvements have been made to

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