Shenandoah National Park, farm by farm
Before it was a park, this was home to hundreds of families. Here are the 3,087 tracts of land Virginia surveyed and took for the park in the 1920s and 1930s, with what the surveyors wrote down about each one.
Did you know?Stone Chimneys Symbolize Lost Mountain Homes
Map of the tracts
Today
Landmarks on this map (395)
Places
- Bacon Hollow Overlook · USGS place names
- Bald Face Mountain Overlook · USGS place names
- Beagle Gap Overlook · USGS place names
- Beahm, Virginia · Wikidata Read the Wikipedia article, opens in a new tab
- Bearfence Mountain Shelter · USGS place names
- Beldor Hollow Overlook · USGS place names
- Beldore Hollow, Virginia · Wikidata Read the Wikipedia article, opens in a new tab
- Big Meadows · Wikidata Read the Wikipedia article, opens in a new tab
- Big Run Overlook · USGS place names
- Big Run Shelter · USGS place names
- Blackrock Shelter · USGS place names
- Brown Mountain Overlook · USGS place names
- Browntown Valley Overlook · USGS place names
- Buck Hollow Overlook · USGS place names
- Byrds Nest Number 1 · USGS place names
- Byrds Nest Number 2 Shelter · USGS place names
- Byrds Nest Number 3 · USGS place names
- Byrds Nest Number 4 · USGS place names
- Calf Mountain Overlook · USGS place names
- Corbin Cabin · Wikidata Read the Wikipedia article, opens in a new tab
- Crescent Rock Overlook · USGS place names
- Crimora Lake Overlook · USGS place names
- Dickey Ridge Visitor Center · USGS place names
- Doyles River Cabin · USGS place names
- Doyles River Overlook · USGS place names
- Dundo Overlook · USGS place names
- Dunns Mill (historical) · USGS place names
- Eaton Hollow Overlook · USGS place names
- Elkwallow Shelter · USGS place names
- Fernhill · USGS place names
- Fourway · Wikidata Read the Wikipedia article, opens in a new tab
- Franklin Cliffs Overlook · USGS place names
- Gimlet Ridge Overlook · USGS place names
- Glenway Farm · USGS place names
- Gooney Manor Overlook · USGS place names
- Gooney Run Overlook · USGS place names
- Gravel Springs Shelter · USGS place names
- Haney (historical) · USGS place names
- Hazel Mountain Overlook · USGS place names
- Hazeltop Ridge Overlook · USGS place names
- Hemlock Springs Overlook · USGS place names
- Hensley Hollow Overlook · USGS place names
- Hightop Shelter · USGS place names
- Hogwallow Flat Overlook · USGS place names
- Horsehead Mountain Overlook · USGS place names
- Indian Run Overlook · USGS place names
- Indian Run Shelter · USGS place names
- Ivy Creek Overlook · USGS place names
- Ivy Creek Shelter · USGS place names
- Jenkins Gap Overlook · USGS place names
- Jeremys Run Overlook · USGS place names
- Jewell Hollow Overlook · USGS place names
- Keyser Run, Virginia · Wikidata Read the Wikipedia article, opens in a new tab
- Lewis Mountain Campground · USGS place names
- Loft Mountain Campgrounds · USGS place names
- Loft Mountain Overlook · USGS place names
- McCormick Gap Overlook · USGS place names
- Moormans River Overlook · USGS place names
- Mount Marshall Overlook · USGS place names
- Naked Creek Overlook · USGS place names
- Old Rag Shelter · USGS place names
- Old Rag View Overlook · USGS place names
- Oldrag · Wikidata Read the Wikipedia article, opens in a new tab
- Panorama · USGS place names Read the Wikipedia article, opens in a new tab
- Pass Mountain Overlook · USGS place names
- Pass Mountain Shelter · USGS place names
- Piedmont Picnic Area · USGS place names
- Pinefield Shelter · USGS place names
- Pinnacle Overlook · USGS place names
- Pinnacles Picnic Grounds · USGS place names
- Piprap Overlook · USGS place names
- Pocosin Cabin · USGS place names
- Range View Cabin · USGS place names
- Range View Overlook · USGS place names
- Rapidan Camp · Wikidata Read the Wikipedia article, opens in a new tab
- Riprap Shelter · USGS place names
- Rocky Mount Overlook · USGS place names
- Rockytop Overlook · USGS place names
- Royal Plaza Shopping Center · USGS place names
- Saint James Mission · USGS place names
- Sandy Bottom Overlook · USGS place names
- Sawmill Ridge Overlook · USGS place names
- Sawmill Run Overlook · USGS place names
- Sawmill Run Ranger Station · USGS place names
- Sawmill Run Shelter · USGS place names
- Sexton Shelter (historical) · USGS place names
- Shaver Hollow Shelter (historical) · USGS place names
- Shenandoah Research and Resource Management Center · USGS place names
- Shenandoah Valley Overlook · USGS place names
- Signal Knob Overlook · USGS place names
- Simmons Gap · Wikidata Read the Wikipedia article, opens in a new tab
- Simmons Gap Mission (historical) · USGS place names
- Simmons Gap Ranger Station · USGS place names
- Skyland Resort · Wikidata Read the Wikipedia article, opens in a new tab
- South River Overlook · USGS place names
- South River Shelter · USGS place names
- Spitler Knoll Overlook · USGS place names
- Stony Man Overlook · USGS place names
- Swift Run Overlook · USGS place names
- Tanners Ridge Overlook · USGS place names
- The Cove · USGS place names
- The Island · USGS place names
- The Oaks Overlook · USGS place names
- The Point Overlook · USGS place names
- Thornton Hollow Overlook · USGS place names
- Thorofare Mountain Overlook · USGS place names
- Timber Hollow Overlook · USGS place names
- Trayfoot Mountain Overlook · USGS place names
- Tunnel Parking Overlook · USGS place names
- Turk Mountain Overlook · USGS place names
- Twomile Run Overlook · USGS place names
- Upper Pocosin · Wikidata Read the Wikipedia article, opens in a new tab
- White Oak Ranger Station · USGS place names
Summits
- Abrams Mountain · USGS place names
- Austin Mountain · USGS place names
- Bald Face Mountain · USGS place names
- Bear Church Rock · USGS place names
- Bear Den Mountain · USGS place names
- Bearfence Mountain · USGS place names
- Bettys Rock · USGS place names
- Big Flat Mountain · USGS place names
- Big Tom · USGS place names
- Blackrock · USGS place names
- Blackrock · USGS place names
- Breedlove Knob · USGS place names
- Brown Mountain · USGS place names
- Brush Mountain · USGS place names
- Bush Mountain · USGS place names
- Bush Mountain · USGS place names
- Bushytop · USGS place names
- Buzzard Rocks · USGS place names
- Calvary Rocks · USGS place names
- Carson Mountain · USGS place names
- Cat Knob · USGS place names
- Catlett Mountain · USGS place names
- Cedar Mountain · USGS place names
- Chapman Mountain · USGS place names
- Chapman Mountain · USGS place names
- Chimney Rock · USGS place names
- Cliff Mountain · USGS place names
- Compton Peak · USGS place names
- Corbin Mountain · USGS place names
- Davis Mountain · USGS place names
- Dean Mountain · USGS place names
- Devils Tanyard · USGS place names
- Dickey Hill · USGS place names
- Dovel Mountain · USGS place names
- Flattop Mountain · USGS place names
- Fork Mountain · USGS place names
- Fork Mountain · USGS place names
- Furnace Mountain · USGS place names
- Grindstone Mountain · USGS place names
- Hall Mountain · USGS place names
- Hanse Mountain · USGS place names
- Hawksbill Mountain · Wikidata Read the Wikipedia article, opens in a new tab
- Hazel Mountain · USGS place names
- Hazeltop · USGS place names
- Hightop · USGS place names
- Hogback Mountain · Wikidata Read the Wikipedia article, opens in a new tab
- Horsehead Mountain · USGS place names
- Hot Mountain · USGS place names
- Jones Mountain · USGS place names
- Kibler Knob · USGS place names
- Knob Mountain · USGS place names
- Knob Mountain · Wikidata Read the Wikipedia article, opens in a new tab
- Lewis Mountain · USGS place names
- Lewis Mountain · USGS place names
- Lewis Peak · USGS place names
- Lighted Top · USGS place names
- Lindsay Mountain · USGS place names
- Little Flat Mountain · USGS place names
- Little Hogback Mountain · USGS place names
- Little Stony Man · USGS place names
- Loft Mountain · USGS place names
- Mary's Rock · Wikidata Read the Wikipedia article, opens in a new tab
- Millers Head · USGS place names
- Mount Marshall · USGS place names
- Nakedtop · Wikidata Read the Wikipedia article, opens in a new tab
- Neighbor Mountain · Wikidata Read the Wikipedia article, opens in a new tab
- North Marshall · USGS place names
- Old Rag Mountain · Wikidata Read the Wikipedia article, opens in a new tab
- Oventop Mountain · USGS place names
- Pass Mountain · USGS place names
- Peters Point · USGS place names
- Pignut Mountain · Wikidata Read the Wikipedia article, opens in a new tab
- Pinestand Mountain · USGS place names
- Piney Mountain · USGS place names
- Piney Mountain · USGS place names
- Piney Mountain · USGS place names
- Pinnacle Peak · USGS place names
- Pollock Knob · USGS place names
- Powell Mountain · USGS place names
- Pumpkin Hill · USGS place names
- Ramsey Mountain · USGS place names
- Robertson Mountain · Wikidata Read the Wikipedia article, opens in a new tab
- Rocks Mountain · USGS place names
- Rocky Mount · USGS place names
- Rocky Mountain · USGS place names
- Rockytop · USGS place names
- Roundtop · USGS place names
- Saddleback Mountain · USGS place names
- Sag Top · USGS place names
- Scott Mountain · USGS place names
- Short Mountain · USGS place names
- Smith Mountain · USGS place names
- South Marshall · USGS place names
- Spitler Hill · USGS place names
- Stony Man Mountain · Wikidata Read the Wikipedia article, opens in a new tab
- Stony Mountain · USGS place names
- Sugarloaf · USGS place names
- Tanbark Flat · USGS place names
- The Peak · USGS place names
- Thorofare Mountain · USGS place names
- Three Sisters · USGS place names
- Trayfoot Mountain · USGS place names
- Turk Mountain · USGS place names
- Weaver Mountain · USGS place names
Gaps
- Beagle Gap · USGS place names
- Beahms Gap · USGS place names
- Blackrock Gap · USGS place names
- Bootens Gap · USGS place names
- Browns Gap · USGS place names
- Broyles Gap · USGS place names
- Compton Gap · USGS place names
- Dean Mountain Gap · USGS place names
- Elkwallow Gap · USGS place names
- Fishers Gap · Wikidata Read the Wikipedia article, opens in a new tab
- Gravel Springs Gap · USGS place names
- Hawksbill Gap · USGS place names
- Hughes River Gap · USGS place names
- Jarman Gap · Wikidata Read the Wikipedia article, opens in a new tab
- Jenkins Gap · USGS place names
- Lands Run Gap · USGS place names
- Laurel Gap · USGS place names
- Low Gap · USGS place names
- McCormick Gap · Wikidata Read the Wikipedia article, opens in a new tab
- Milam Gap · USGS place names
- Pine Hill Gap · USGS place names
- Pinefield Gap · USGS place names
- Powell Gap · USGS place names
- Rockfish Gap · USGS place names
- Simmons Gap · USGS place names
- Smith Roach Gap · USGS place names
- Swift Run Gap · Wikidata Read the Wikipedia article, opens in a new tab
- The Sag · USGS place names
- Thornton Gap · Wikidata Read the Wikipedia article, opens in a new tab
- Thorofare Gap · USGS place names
- Thoroughfare Gap · USGS place names
- Turk Gap · USGS place names
- Turkeypen Gap · USGS place names
- Utz Gap · USGS place names
- Via Gap · USGS place names
Hollows and valleys
- Beech Spring Hollow · USGS place names
- Bell Hollow · USGS place names
- Berry Hollow · USGS place names
- Big Fill Hollow · USGS place names
- Britton Hollow · USGS place names
- Buck Hollow · USGS place names
- Cold Spring Hollow · USGS place names
- Compton Hollow · USGS place names
- Corbin Hollow · USGS place names
- Crow Hollow · USGS place names
- Dark Hollow · USGS place names
- Dorsey Hanger Hollow · USGS place names
- Dripping Springs Hollow · USGS place names
- Dundo Hollow · USGS place names
- Eppert Hollow · USGS place names
- Falls Hollow · USGS place names
- Field Hollow · USGS place names
- Fork Hollow · USGS place names
- Frazier Hollow · USGS place names
- Gibson Hollow · USGS place names
- Goat Hollow · USGS place names
- Green Hollow · USGS place names
- Heiskell Hollow · USGS place names
- Kettle Canyon · USGS place names
- Keyser Hollow · USGS place names
- Lefthand Hollow · USGS place names
- Little Devils Stairs · USGS place names
- Luck Hollow · USGS place names
- McDaniel Hollow · USGS place names
- Molden Hollow · USGS place names
- Nicholson Hollow · USGS place names
- Pocosin Hollow · USGS place names
- Riprap Hollow · USGS place names
- Shenks Hollow · USGS place names
- Shop Hollow · USGS place names
- Thompson Hollow · USGS place names
- Thornton Hollow · USGS place names
- Tobacco House Hollow · USGS place names
- Turner Hollow · USGS place names
- Weakley Hollow · USGS place names
- Whiteoak Canyon · USGS place names
Streams
- Aarons Branch · USGS place names
- Bearwallow Run · USGS place names
- Big Branch · USGS place names
- Big Creek · USGS place names
- Big Ugly Run · USGS place names
- Bootens Run · USGS place names
- Brokenback Run · USGS place names
- Bush Mountain Stream · USGS place names
- Butterwood Branch · USGS place names
- Cedar Run · USGS place names
- Devils Ditch · USGS place names
- Garth Spring Run · USGS place names
- Gum Spring Branch · USGS place names
- Hannah Run · USGS place names
- Haunted Branch · USGS place names
- Hogcamp Branch · USGS place names
- Jones Run · USGS place names
- Laurel Prong · USGS place names
- Little Creek · USGS place names
- Little Gate Branch · USGS place names
- Mill Prong · USGS place names
- Mine Run · USGS place names
- Moody Creek · USGS place names
- North Fork Moormans River · USGS place names
- Pocosin Creek · USGS place names
- Pond Ridge Branch · USGS place names
- Raven Cliff Branch · USGS place names
- Rocky Mountain Run · USGS place names
- Runyons Run · USGS place names
- Sams Run · USGS place names
- Shop Run · USGS place names
- Sloan Creek · USGS place names
- South Fork Moormans River · USGS place names
- Staunton River · Wikidata Read the Wikipedia article, opens in a new tab
- Tims River · Wikidata Read the Wikipedia article, opens in a new tab
- Turk Branch · USGS place names
- Whiteoak Run · USGS place names
- Wilson Run · USGS place names
Falls
- Big Rock Falls · USGS place names
- Cedar Falls · USGS place names
- Climbing Rose Falls · USGS place names
- Dark Hollow Falls · Wikidata Read the Wikipedia article, opens in a new tab
- Dry Run Falls · USGS place names
- Greasy Falls · USGS place names
- Jones Run Falls · USGS place names
- Lewis Spring Falls · USGS place names
- Miller Falls · USGS place names
- Rose River Falls · USGS place names
- South River Falls · USGS place names
Springs
- Blackrock Springs · USGS place names
- Dale Spring · USGS place names
- Davids Spring · USGS place names
- Furnace Spring · USGS place names
- Hawksbill Spring · USGS place names
- Lewis Spring · USGS place names
- Rock Spring · USGS place names
Churches
- Beech Spring Church · USGS place names
- Beldor Church · USGS place names
- Dark Hollow Church (historical) · USGS place names
- House of Jacob Church · USGS place names
- Hughes River Church (historical) · USGS place names
- Jewel Chapel · USGS place names
- Lydia Church · USGS place names
- Lydia Mennonite Church · USGS place names
- Mount Vernon Church · USGS place names
- Mount Vernon Church · USGS place names
- Old School Baptist Church · USGS place names
- Roach Mission (historical) · USGS place names
- Saint Luke Mission (historical) · USGS place names
- Shiloh Church (historical) · USGS place names
- The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints · USGS place names
- Upper Pocosin Mission (historical) · USGS place names
- Vaughn Summit Church · USGS place names
- Wayside Church (historical) · USGS place names
Schools
- Atkins School (historical) · USGS place names
- Big Bend School (historical) · USGS place names
- Community School (historical) · USGS place names
- Ferham School (historical) · USGS place names
- Hall School (historical) · USGS place names
- Hazel School (historical) · USGS place names
- Hightop School (historical) · USGS place names
- Hull School (historical) · USGS place names
- Meadows School (historical) · USGS place names
- Ressie Jeffries Elementary School · USGS place names
- Rocky Branch School (historical) · USGS place names
- Shenks School (historical) · USGS place names
- Skyline High School · USGS place names
- Thornton Gap School (historical) · USGS place names
- Thorofare Mountain School (historical) · USGS place names
- Via School (historical) · USGS place names
Cemeteries
- Dean Cemetery · USGS place names
- George Comer Cemetery · USGS place names
- Mission Home Cemetery · USGS place names
- Prospect Hill Cemetery · USGS place names
- South River Cemetery · USGS place names
- Tanners Ridge Cemetery · USGS place names
Post offices
- Blackrock Springs Post Office (historical) · USGS place names
- Fernhill Post Office (historical) · USGS place names
- Haney Post Office (historical) · USGS place names
- Oldrag Post Office · USGS place names
- Simmons Gap Post Office (historical) · USGS place names
- Skyland Post Office (historical) · USGS place names
- Albemarle
- Augusta
- Greene
- Madison
- Page
- Rappahannock
- Rockingham
- Warren
- Skyline Drive
- Chimney monument (outside the park)
- On Wikipedia
The map shows tract boundaries, landmarks whose location is already public elsewhere (each pin names its source; the Landmarks button picks which kinds), and the Wikipedia places listed below. Each of the eight counties has a stone chimney monument, built by the Blue Ridge Heritage Project, opens in a new tab to honor the families who were forced from their homes.
Search the owners' names and tract numbers.
By county
The park took land in eight counties. 2,892 tracts have a page here; the rest are on the map, where the record gives no owner or tract number.
- Albemarle County
263 tracts, 34,356 acres, 97 houses recorded
- Augusta County
82 tracts, 13,313 acres, 24 houses recorded
- Greene County
500 tracts, 34,425 acres, 288 houses recorded
- Madison County
457 tracts, 49,687 acres, 185 houses recorded
- Page County
839 tracts, 62,622 acres, 292 houses recorded
- Rappahannock County
300 tracts, 34,050 acres, 138 houses recorded
- Rockingham County
413 tracts, 39,937 acres, 211 houses recorded
- Warren County
233 tracts, 12,734 acres, 36 houses recorded
On Wikipedia
Augusta County
- Paine Run Rockshelter, opens in a new tab: archaeological site in Virginia, United States Wikidata item, opens in a new tab
- Jarman Gap, opens in a new tab: mountain pass in Virginia, USA Wikidata item, opens in a new tab (on the map)
- McCormick Gap, opens in a new tab: windgap in Virginia, United States Wikidata item, opens in a new tab (on the map)
Greene County
- Simmons Gap, opens in a new tab: human settlement in Virginia, United States of America Wikidata item, opens in a new tab (on the map)
- Swift Run Gap, opens in a new tab: mountain pass in Virginia, United States Wikidata item, opens in a new tab (on the map)
- Upper Pocosin, opens in a new tab: human settlement in Virginia, United States of America Wikidata item, opens in a new tab (on the map)
Madison County
- Big Meadows, opens in a new tab: recreational area of the Shenandoah National Park in Madison County and Page County, in the US state of Virginia Wikidata item, opens in a new tab (on the map)
- Big Meadows Site, opens in a new tab: place in Virginia listed on National Register of Historic Places Wikidata item, opens in a new tab
- Cliff Kill Site, opens in a new tab: archaeological site in Virginia, United States Wikidata item, opens in a new tab
- Corbin Cabin, opens in a new tab: building in Virginia, United States Wikidata item, opens in a new tab (on the map)
- Fishers Gap, opens in a new tab: mountain pass in Virginia, United States Wikidata item, opens in a new tab (on the map)
- Gentle Site, opens in a new tab: archaeological site in Virginia, United States Wikidata item, opens in a new tab
- Hawksbill Mountain, opens in a new tab: mountain in United States of America Wikidata item, opens in a new tab (on the map)
- Old Rag Mountain, opens in a new tab: Mountain in Virginia, US Wikidata item, opens in a new tab (on the map)
- Oldrag, opens in a new tab: human settlement in Virginia, United States of America Wikidata item, opens in a new tab (on the map)
- Rapidan Camp, opens in a new tab: historic house in Virginia, United States Wikidata item, opens in a new tab (on the map)
- Staunton River, opens in a new tab: tributary of the Rapidan River in Madison County, Virginia, United States Wikidata item, opens in a new tab (on the map)
- Robertson Mountain, opens in a new tab: mountain in Madison County, Virginia, United States of America Wikidata item, opens in a new tab (on the map)
- Dark Hollow Falls, opens in a new tab: Waterfall in Virginia, United States Wikidata item, opens in a new tab (on the map)
- Tims River, opens in a new tab: river in Madison County, Virginia, United States Wikidata item, opens in a new tab (on the map)
Page County
- Skyland Resort, opens in a new tab: small privately owned resort on Skyline Drive in the Shenandoah National Park Wikidata item, opens in a new tab (on the map)
- Knob Mountain, opens in a new tab: mountain in the Appalachian range Wikidata item, opens in a new tab (on the map)
- Mary's Rock, opens in a new tab: mountain in United States of America Wikidata item, opens in a new tab (on the map)
- Neighbor Mountain, opens in a new tab: Part of Blue Ridge Mountains in Virginia, US Wikidata item, opens in a new tab (on the map)
- Panorama Resort, opens in a new tab Wikidata item, opens in a new tab (on the map)
- Nakedtop, opens in a new tab: mountain in Virginia, United States of America Wikidata item, opens in a new tab (on the map)
- Stony Man Mountain, opens in a new tab: mountain in United States of America Wikidata item, opens in a new tab (on the map)
Rappahannock County
- Fourway, opens in a new tab: human settlement in Rappahannock County, Virginia, United States Wikidata item, opens in a new tab (on the map)
- Pignut Mountain, opens in a new tab: mountain in United States of America Wikidata item, opens in a new tab (on the map)
- Thornton Gap, opens in a new tab: wind gap in Virginia, United States Wikidata item, opens in a new tab (on the map)
- Marys Rock Tunnel, opens in a new tab: tunnel in Virginia, United States Wikidata item, opens in a new tab (on the map)
- Beahm, Virginia, opens in a new tab: former unincorporated community in Virginia, US Wikidata item, opens in a new tab (on the map)
- Keyser Run, Virginia, opens in a new tab: former unincorporated community in Virginia Wikidata item, opens in a new tab (on the map)
Rockingham County
- Blackrock Springs Site, opens in a new tab: archaeological site in Virginia, United States Wikidata item, opens in a new tab
- Henson Airlines Flight 1517, opens in a new tab: 1985 aviation accident Wikidata item, opens in a new tab (on the map)
- Beldore Hollow, Virginia, opens in a new tab: extinct unincorporated community in Virginia Wikidata item, opens in a new tab (on the map)
Warren County
- Hogback Mountain, opens in a new tab: Mountain in Virginia, US Wikidata item, opens in a new tab (on the map)
How the park was made
Congress authorized Shenandoah National Park in May 1926, but the law barred federal money from buying the land. Virginia had to acquire it and give it to the United States. Virginians pledged money for the purchase, and the state took charge of acquiring the land. [6, 1, 2]
Between 1926 and 1928, surveyors for the Commonwealth mapped every property inside the proposed boundary. They described each house and barn and recorded orchards and timber, and they set a value on each tract. That survey is what each tract page here puts into plain words. [4, 3]
The land cost far more than anyone had expected. In March 1928 the General Assembly passed the Public Park Condemnation Act, which let the state take the land by eminent domain, whether or not its owners wanted to sell. Owners were taken to court in large groups: in Rockingham County, a single case named one owner “and others” and covered more than 52,000 acres. [6, 7, 1, 5]
The park was put together from more than 3,000 tracts in eight counties: Albemarle, Augusta, Greene, Madison, Page, Rappahannock, Rockingham and Warren. When the deeds went to Washington, about 465 families, some 2,200 people, still lived inside the boundary, and fewer than half of them owned the land they lived on. Federal officials decided that everyone had to leave. The National Park Service counts at least 500 families displaced. [2, 6, 1]
People lost homes their families had held for generations, along with the orchards, churches, schools and neighbors that went with them. Some went to court and lost. Many wrote to park and government officials, asking for more time, for their crops, or for a place to go. After families left, Civilian Conservation Corps crews took down their buildings and planted over the ground, to make the landscape look untouched. [1, 7, 2]
The government built seven homestead communities outside the park for families who had nowhere else to go. A few older residents were allowed to stay for the rest of their lives; the last of them died in 1979. President Franklin D. Roosevelt dedicated the park on July 3, 1936. [1]
Sources
- Encyclopedia Virginia, “Shenandoah National Park”, opens in a new tab
- National Park Service, Shenandoah National Park, “The Displaced”, opens in a new tab
- National Park Service, “One Tract at a Time” map release (2019), opens in a new tab
- Reed Engle and Caroline Janney, A Database of Shenandoah National Park Land Records (Shenandoah National Park Association, 1997), opens in a new tab
- James Madison University Libraries, Rockingham County Shenandoah National Park Records: condemnation cases, opens in a new tab
- Christine Homa, “Shenandoah National Park: The Human Cost of Conservation,” DttP: Documents to the People 49, no. 3/4 (American Library Association, 2021), opens in a new tab
- Katrina M. Powell, ed., “Answer at Once”: Letters of Mountain Families in Shenandoah National Park, 1934–1938 (University of Virginia Press), opens in a new tab
Source: National Park Service, Shenandoah National Park, Historic Land Tracts.