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Materials in the Library of Virginia’s collections contain historical terms, phrases, and images that are offensive to modern readers. These include demeaning and dehumanizing references to race, ethnicity, and nationality; enslaved or free status; physical and mental ability; and gender and sexual orientation.
Context
Skyline Drive is the main road that traverses the length of Shenandoah National Park. Shenandoah National Park was created in 1926 to preserve the beauty of the Blue Ridge Mountains for recreational use and for future generations. The creation of Shenandoah National Park represented the largest case of eminent domain in Virginia state history. The park is composed of about 190,000 acres of donated and state purchased land that was later given to the federal government for the creation of Shenandoah National Park, Skyline Drive, and the nearby Blue Ridge Parkway.
The groundbreaking for Skyline Drive happened on July 18, 1931. The construction of the roadway was a pioneering effort, given the topography of the region. Designers had to develop new techniques in landscape architecture and engineering to create a safe roadway along the top of the mountain ridge. The Federal Drought Relief Administration allocated the money for the project. Much of the land acquired for this project had been taken from residents of the area through the government's power of eminent domain. Over 450 families lost their land, although not without a fight. The Supreme Court ruled against their lawsuit to stop the government, and these familes, many of whom had owned the land for generations, were displaced.
This administration encouraged the employment of Virginia farmers and apple pickers who suffered from the economic impacts of a severe drought. Other workers were provided by the Civilian Conservation Corps, who graded the slopes of the roadway, built guardrails and wall, constructed overlooks, made signs, built a variety of structures needed for visitation, and planted hundreds of thousands of plants as part of the landscape design. In 1932, workers bored through solid granite to create Marys Rock Tunnel. The tunnel is 670 feet long and became one of the most iconic visual features of the roadway. The first 34-mile section opened in September 1934, and the last portion of Skyline Drive was completed in 1939.
This image, taken opening day, reflects the growing importance of the automobile in America, and foreshadows the continued popularity of the road to this day.
Today the park has grown to about 200,000 acres and is one of the most popular parks in the country.
Citation: Heinemann, R. L. Shenendoah National Park, Skyline Drive, Prints and Photographs Collection, Library of Virginia.
For more information, see the entry Guide Map of Shenandoah National Park.
Standards
Suggested Questions
Preview Activity
Look at It: Look at the photograph, what details in the photo tell you about the opening of the Skyline Drive?
Post Activities
Current Connections: How does the right to private property vs. the state's use of eminent domain laws create conflict? Can you cite a current or past issue that illustrates this conflict?
Artistic Expression: You are an artist creating an advertisement for the opening of the Skyline Drive. Based in the photograph, create an image that would encourage visitors to visit the Skyline Drive.
STEM STAT: The Skyline Drive required engineers and Landscape architects use their problem-solving skills to design the Skyline Drive. If you were an early engineer or landscape architect, what would concern you most about designing a roadway in the mountains? Consider environment, changing weather conditions, erosion, and other factors which might influence design decisions