Page 6
Opinion
The Clarion \ Oct. 29, 2010
The Blue Ridge Parkway: 75 years of scenic beauty
These Hills...
By John M. Climer
Editor in Chief
This year commemorates the 75th anniversary
of “America’s favorite drive,” the Blue Ridge
Parkway.
The Parkway began as part of Franklin
Roosevelt’s New Deal, which sought to
stimulate the economy and provide jobs to those
unemployed during the Great Depression.
According to the Blue Ridge Parkway
Foundation, construction of the first 12.5 mile
stretch of the Parkway began on Sept. 11,1935
at Cumberland Knob, near the North Carolina,
Virginia border Construction of the Parkway
was slow. Acquiring the land for road right of
ways took time, and because the road was part of
the New Deal stimulus, hand-tools were used as
frequently as possible to put as many people to
work as possible, even though using machinery
would have been more time efficient.
A large portion of the man-power at work on
the Parkway was utilized through the Civilian
Conservation Corps (CCC). As the road
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continued to develop, the CCC established four
camps along the Parkway where workers would
clear future road-bed, grade slopes for future
scenic overlooks and undertake other various
activities.
The outbreak of World War II ground
construction to a halt. Funding for the Parkway
was shifted away from the project and applied
to the war effort, and a large portion of the
work force left the project to join the military.
Additionally, use of the road was very light
because of war-time rationing and a ban
on recreational driving. As the war ended,
construction was still sporadic because most
machinery had been purchased by the military
and funding was still tied up in post-war aid
efforts.
Around 1956, the Parkway was still only
about half completed. That would soon change,
however, with the start of a ten-year nationwide
initiative known as Mission 66, whose goal was
to dramatically expand national park amenities
by 1966, the 50th anniversary of the National
Park Service. Locally, Mission 66 funding
would increase the pace of construction, and
by the time the initiative came to a halt, $16
million dollars had been devoted to the project
and the Parkway was just under 8 miles short
of completion.
That last segment would not be completed
until 1987, when construction ended on the
Linn Cove Viaduct at Grandfather Mountain,
N.C. The completion of the Linn Cove Viaduct
opened the Parkway’s full 469 mile span
and allowed users to travel all the way from
Shenandoah National Park to the Great Smoky
Mountains National Park.
Many BC students enjoy visiting the Parkway,
whether to hike, to drive along the ridgeline, or
just sit and soak up the scenery. “My favorite
spot is the Wagon Road Gap pull-off and the
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The Linn Cove Viaduct, finalized in 1987,
opened tlie full 469 miles of the Blue Ridge
Parkway, allowing travelers to drive from
Shenendoah National Park all the way to
the Great Smokey Mountains National Park.
trail there,” junior Carleton Ramsey said. “It’s
a great view, but you have to hike a little ways. I
think the Parkway itself is an incredible feat and
demonstrates what mankind can accomplish.”
Sophomore Sarah Alexander prefers the
East Fork overlook for the beauty of its view.
“Everything’s pretty much dying up there right
now,” she said, “but about a week ago it was
really beautiful.” And senior Daniel Kreykes
likes the Shining Rock / Black Balsam area.
“You can see forever and watch storms blow
in,” he said.
The Parkway is an amazing place to take in
beautiful views, watch the seasons change or
just go for a drive. We are very fortunate to live
in such close proximity to the Parkway and all
are encouraged to visit it sometime soon.
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