Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1911-05-12
Go d Roads ard Tourists

The subject OF the advantages OF
good roads has been thrashed out
very thoroughly and it seems that
there is little, if anything, more t.
be said in regard to them. The
Manufacturers Record in a recent
issue brings forward source Oh
revenue that will follow the open
ing of good roads, that Is deserving
of attention. This is the influx q
tourists that will comeinto region
when it is made accessible to them.
and much good will be produce'
bv having many strangers come t.
view and land. If the establish.
mept of good, clean hotels with
reasonable charges will come about
along the hard, we'll graded high
ways, goodly propagation of the
tourists who now spend their va
cation in foreign lands will spend
them OF home. The Swiss gnvcfn-
ment has long appreciated the eco
nomic value Of foreign visitors, and
throughout that rugged, mountain
Gus country, well built reads reach
every bit of picturesque scenery
and many lofty mountain peaks.
The winding cource of these roads
as they climb up precipltous noun
tains or dip into valleys where some
Alpine lake nestles by the foot ol a
snow clad giant, add no little to
the picturesqueness of the scenery,
and these roads have almost Danish
ed poverty from the land.
Although our mountains do no.
rival those Of Switzerland in height
or grandeur, there are few places
il the world that surpass the Blue
Ridge and Allegheny mountains 1oi
tranquil beauty and restful charm
Many years ago Porte Crayon de
scribed and portrayed the Black
water region, and nothing but It's
inaccesslbility has kept 1T from
being tourists paradise. No sooner
had Christian Reid's work on "Thc
Land of the Sky" been published
than Asheville became a center
from which went tourists that have
made the unknown sequesterc'
and barely civilized wilds of West
ern North Carolina the richest,
best known and most thoroughly
developed portion of the state
Its mines have been developed, It's
agricultural possibilities have been
brought to notice, and along the
banks of Swanannoah and the
French Broad have arisen exquisite
villas and homes of wealthy men
- All of this would have been lmposs
ible without the network of wei
graded, substantial roads tina
cover the Sapphire Country; thu
strong bridges that defy the fioot'
of the mountain torrents, and th'
cheerful, moderate priced hotels
wherein one may take ones comtor
in ones inn. Given these same
conveniences and Highland, Craig
Grayson and the other back noun
tantious counties Of Virginia woul(
be as popular with the tourist worl(
and the scenery as famous as arr
Buncomb and Pennsylvania coun
ties in our neighboring states.
The National Highway from New
York to Atlanta now passes through
Stanton, and if the counties tt
the west will only take the trouble
and bear the expense of opening
themselves to the world, their ma
tional attractions would draw Wis
itors who in turn would bear theil
fame into many lands, and the costs
like the bread thrown on the waters
will return, bringing with ita boun
tiful increase. Staunton Dispatch
and News.
In the gospel of good roads there
is no stronger point to be noted by
Highland than that pointed out IL
the above clipping. While we lay
no special claim to originally G
thought, our readers will recall pre-
vious efforts made by the Records
to impress this very idea. The rea
wealth of Highland lays in her sum
mer climate and scenery. 1t /;
unsurpassed in the whole union
it has no equal in Virginia.
The day will come when these
will be appreciated and in demand
Mark the predictions and hear the
Recorder say Il told you So"
The men who prove to be pioneers
in removing the barriers that isolate
us will be doing the county the
greatest service.
A first-class, modern highway
between Monterey and Staunton is
of more Importance, and means
more to the county, than any other
public improvement or enterprise
contemplated. From progressive,
present day viewpoint it is a ne
cessitV.