Evening star., 1921-05-29
The Story of Harrisonbrg Vrgnias Beautiful Shenando

, its chair car. food is to be had and
there is always interesting company
| on board if You want to talk horse
racing. fox hunting. horse show, cat
tie, orchards or almost any other sub
! Ject Your way passes through re-
/ Gion where horses are bred for the
race track. the hunt and the horse
show. where as fine beef cattle are
raised as anyw here else in the United
States. and you pass through part of
vast apple-groWinC region. Per-
faps it is the greatest apple growing
region in the United States. but the
man writing this has not now the
figures for the apple districts Of
Washington. Oregon. New York and
the Shenandoah valley. but you pass
into a region which puts its apples
on the stands and in the stores of
Roston. Providence. New York. Phila-
delphia. Wilmington; Baltimore Wash
ington and Norfolk. sends them
throughout the eastern half of the
United States by trainloads and to
Europe by the shirload. Shenandoah
apple products-cider. vinegar and jel-
I licS-go all over the world. Perhaps
YOU had never thought of that
X X
IF you get beyond the Blue Ridge in
Your car all roads lead to. Harri-
sonburg. and they are good roads
The usual route for Washington au-
toiSts to enter the valley of Virginia
is by way of Harpers Ferry, but
thousands pass by way of Leeshurg,
thence through Smokers Gan and on
to Berryville. Roads through the
Rlue Ridge are being improved and
the great Lee highway will be built
through these mountains. which will
not only shorten, but smooth the way
for motorists to Harrisonburg. 1t
VIII make the way shorter between
w NaShington and scores Of towns in
Piedmont Virginia. in the Blue Ridge
country and in the Shenandoah valley
That road will open up a new world
and beautiful and historic one-to
American motorists. When airplane
passenger lines are put in operation
in this part of the country the flight
from Washington to Harrisonburg
VIII be made in about an hour, and
below the travellers will be spread a
Picture of loveliness unsurpassed.
By rail direct from Washington
YOU enter the Shenandoah valley
through Manassas gap. down which a
busy little stream, Goose creek. flows
and an old wagon road and the rail-
road run. All about you timbered
knobs rise above the, ridges and to
the south are High knob. 240O feet
up. and Buck mountain and Rattle
snake mountain. Down Manassas
gan you enter a green rolling or
billy region. pass Front Royal and
come to Riverton. where the North
Shenandoah river unite and. aided
by bubblinC. splashing Happy creek,
become thenceforth the Shenandoah
river. which joins the Potomac at
liarpers Ferry. where the combined
waters of these rivers have ripped
and worn a passage through the Blue
Ridge. At RiNerton you cross the
Norfolk and Western railroad. which
leads north from its main line at
Roanok" through Virginia and west
Crossing the South fork of the
Shenandoah close by its junction
with the North fork. your course lies
west. with the North fork on the
right and with lofty mountains on
the left. They are the north ends
OF Massanuttcn mountain and a
parallel ridge named Powell noun
tain and Threc-Top mountain. The
crest of Massanutten is 1000 feet
high and, viewed from your position
as you turn, south on passing Stras,
burg Junction. Ma. sanutten. Powell
and Three-Top mountains appear as
one ridge. though between them is
hilly. highland valley. four miles
wide. called Fort Valley. through
which run a main road and Passage
creek. Fort Crossroads. Dilbeck,
Edith and Seven Fountains are
among the settlements in this sky
land valley.
At Strasburg Junction you strike
the Baltimore and Ohio railroad.
which comes from Harpers Ferry by
way of Charles Town and Winchester.
Then your course turns to the south
and you keep on the left hand Mas
sanutten ridge and the North fork
of the Shenandoah. which describes
serpentine course along the base
OF that ridge In fafr weather the
Alleghanes rise blue and clear on
the right hand. You ride among
high rounded hills while towering
Massanuttcn. with a remarkably level