Shenandoah National ParkMadison County
J. B. Early estate farm, Tract 179, Madison County
Did you know?Park Displacement Scale
The 1920s survey
A log barn; timber (chestnut trees). 4 acres, valued at $100. The state paid $230.
Map of the tract
House sites and family graves are never marked. Pins show only public places, from USGS place names and other public sources.
On Wikipedia
Big Meadows Site: place in Virginia listed on National Register of Historic Places
The Big Meadows Site is an archaeological location situated within Shenandoah National Park near Luray, Virginia. It has been recognized for its historical significance by being listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Published Summarized from the Wikipedia article Big Meadows Site, opens in a new tab (revised 1 September 2026), CC BY-SA, opens in a new tab
Case files
The National Park Service has no case file online for this tract.
County court land file
Papers from the Madison County circuit court’s proceedings to take the land for the park, scanned by JMU Libraries.
Early, JB estate
The file at JMU Libraries, opens in a new tab PDF, opens in a new tab
In the file: Claimant Worksheet, Tract Assessment, Owner Claim, LOB9, Tax Records
Courtesy of the Madison County Circuit Court Clerk and JMU Libraries, Histories along the Blue Ridge. Licensed CC BY-NC 4.0, opens in a new tab.
Families of the park
Other tracts whose owners shared the name. A shared name doesn’t always mean a shared family.
Source: National Park Service, Shenandoah National Park, Historic Land Tracts.