Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1924-08-15
MASSANUTTEN is SUGGESTED
FOR NATIONAL PARK

tageS OF P0WellsS Fort In the famous
Massanutten mountain range in Shen-
andoah County as national park are
being emphasized before congress
ional committee by Congressman /.
NV. Harrison, of the Seventh Virginia
district, in whose territory the beauti-
full valley lies.
| Hugh E. Naylor, OF Front Royal, re-
Gently made a trip through the Massa-
nutten mountains, Including Powell S
! i Fort, and has contributed to the War
rem Seminal at Front Royal two articles
| giving a detailed account of the trip
and his observations, together with
Quotations from famous men who
visited the Massanutten country years
Iago.
| Mr.. Naylor declares that Powell's
| Fort as a national park would be the
greatest outstanding natural feature
of the Shenandoah Valley and the
Mecca of the east. He figured from
statistics supplied by government
agencies that 65.OOO,O0O people, or
half the population of the United
States, are within "a hours riding dis
lance of the great Massanutten range
and PowelPs Fort Valley,
Mr.. Naylor quotes the Unitad States
Department of Agriculture as authority
for the statement that the Massanutten
is made up of many mountains, num-
Der of long, level crested, parallel
ranges. The formation however, is
not monotonous, for these mountains
break off Unexpectedly at water gaps.
They run sometimes singlY, and some
times in pairs at elevations of from
200 to 2400 feet Some of the higher
peaks reach elevations of 34O0 feet.
Two ridges often merge, like the sides
OF some mythical Morse viking gigan-
tic boat, into peak resembling an up
turned prov. Alternate lateral ridges
and hollows, with their varying lights
and shadows, give the longest stretch
of mountain range a freedom from
monotony that is wonderfully pleasing
TO the eye.
The Massanutten forest is perhaps
the most accessible Of all the eastern
forests to the large centers of popu-
lation and is so near to the cities oil
Washington and Baltimore that it isl
entirely practicable for visitors toI
spend week-ends throughout the sum-
mer seasons, in the mountains, and
take one or more of the delightful
trips over the new trail built by the |
forest service.
The new trail built by the forest
service have opened up beautiful and |
heretofore little known portions of
the Massanutten mountains. The
visitor can now ride or walk almost at
will through these mountains and en-
joy to the utmost the scenic attractionsl
of the region. Trails lead up the
slopes, from which superb views of the
famous Shenandoh Valley can be OBJ
tanned. Opportunities for riding and
tramping trips are almost unlimited.
Excellent bass fishing in both
branches of the Shenandoah river
which are only few miles away, can
be enjoyed, and Pitts Springs Run is
considered good trout stream.
Withina radius.of 25 miles of Powell'sI
Fort are located all the battlefields of
the Shenandoah Valley. The camper
in the Fort Valley could spend the
entire summer visiting points of his
toric and scenic interest and then not |
see them all.
Hundreds of thousands of tourists |
now visit these wonderful Shenandoah
Valley caverns and battlefields every
year, and the number is increasing by
leaps and bounds. The publicity now
being given by Shenandoah Valley,
Inc will probably treble this number
within another season.
What wonderful thing it would be
for these visitors if the Massanutten
national forest was made a national
park, so they could enjoy the beauti-
full scenery, its curative waters, trout
and bass fishing, hunting and camping
grounds.
There is not a more ideS! location in
the United States for national park
than this Massanutten national forest.
Sixty thousand acres of it are already
paid for and owned by the United
States government.
National parks are mainly created
for the enjoyment and recreation of
all the people, and Massanutten ma
tional forest is nearer. the center of the
most popnlous section of the country
where the masses, both rich and poor,
could reach it conveniently.
1t is within two and one-half hours
motor drive from Washington, aud
could be made the playground of the
nation.
It is within "a hours drive of 65.-
900, COO people.
1t is easily accessible from all parts of
the United States by state and national
highways, and numerous railways.
The famous Shenandoah Valley pike
borders and parallels it on the west
Throughout its entire length. The Lee
highway crosses it from the east TO
west through its center, and the Front
Royal and Luray highway borders and
extends two-thirds of its. length on the
east.
The north branch of the Shenan-
doah river flows along the entire west
ern base, and the south river washes
its eastern bases throughout its entire
length.
The waters from its mountains flow
past the capitol of the nation end are
destined TO supply in part its waters
heat and power, and furnishes access
to the sea.
All pxcenf one. OF the national marks