Blue Ridge Parkway HISTORY (cabin, agricultural, parking)

[SunnyKayak]

NPS photo
The Brinegar Cabin at Milepost 238.5 near Doughton Park in North Carolina

The Blue Ridge Parkway is history waiting to be discovered!
Although the road is often seen primarily as a scenic byway with plenty
of natural attractions, it is also a cross-section of Appalachian mountain
history.

Stretching almost 500 miles along the crest of the Blue Ridge mountains
through North Carolina and Virginia, it encompasses some of the oldest
settlements of both pre-historic and early European settlement.

Visitors can trace much of the history of Appalachian culture by
observing overlook signs, visitor center exhibits, restored historic
structures, and developed areas, all of which reveal points of particular interest.
For a complete listing of the Parkway's historic attractions, contact the
areas

[SunnyKayak]

Native American Culture and Influence

The Cherokee Indians of North Carolina, and the Monacan, Saponi, and Tutelo Indians of western Virginia, were among the earliest inhabitants of the Blue Ridge,
leaving artifacts and changes in the landscape as evidence of their existence. Many of the fields still visible at the base of the mountains date back centuries to ancient
American Indian agricultural methods of burning and deadening the trees and underbrush to provide needed grazing and crop land. Mountain and river names along the
Parkway also reflect the American Indian influence. The best place to learn about the pre-history of the Appalachian chain in Virginia is at
the Peaks of Otter Visitor Center museum (milepost 85.9). Arrowheads and early tools found in the Peaks area are exhibited.
In North Carolina, the Parkway enters the Cherokee Indian Reservation at milepost 457.7
and features an informational display on the reservation at the Lickstone Parking Overlook (milepost 458.9).

[NC_Paddler]

[floridagal1989]

Wow that is really cool. Thanks for sharing.