Evening star., 1928-04-29

Qoah valley Natlonal Rak-tu
heart of Virginia. 1t is
Apple blossom Is beautiful ou
6umplings are better"
The roads into the famous Shenan'
6oah Valley VIII be crowded Throughout
the apple blossom season by thousand:
Of tourists, eager to behold the mos,
gorgeous sight of miles and miles OF
pink blossoms. But, Oh. The "dumpungS
to come! The Scene$y when in mid
Summer camping ap5 touring!
There is also q German provert
equally applicable: April and May are
the key Of the whole year. AT al.
events, they open the charms OF good
cid Summertime" and bring TO antlci-
patton the delights Of rambling over
mountains and daleS and camping
amidst enhancing wildnesS of cragS and
waterfalls
Hitherto. we could merely read about
such bewitching charms Of nature,
which could be reached by us Eastern
ers only after days of hot car-udes
across the continent. There are mighty
peaks in the Rockies. We have read
of that heroic tourist with his motto.
pixies Peak or bust" though the story
always ended before we learned just
when he busted" 1t was a story given
lis boys "a teach us the virtue of pluck,
fl overcoming handicaps and dis
CouragementS.
But now all the glories of the Far
West are transported right into the
very dooTyards Of our Eastern apart
mentS. and between luncheon and
dinner time one may pass from per-
Spiration TO eXhlaration from Wash
ington 10 the new Shenandoah Valley
National Park. in SiX-hour ride over
aSphaled highways.
Hardly anybody yet realizes even the
beginning Of the wonders of Shenan-
ooah Valley National Park. which has
so recently been acquired 1t now
passes into the control Of the Federal
Government. TO become forever reserved
as a playground for tired folk who love
nature.
The Federal Park Commission has no
intention of making il an artifcially
pretty laWn-it would have an impossi-
bic and foolish task in such an under
taklIlg-but 1t will make roads into the
regions most difficult of accessibility.
and prepare camping grounds. Even
before such rough development can be
accomplished there will be far more
attractions accessible this Summer than
Old MI. Prosaic ever dreamed of.
HREE years ago the Playground
and Recreation Association of
America, together with the American
Institute Of Park Executives, accepted a
suggestion from President Coolidge that
there should be survey made of all
the city and State parks in the United
States. With the aid Of private funds.
that survey has been made, and the
report shows that practically every city
with a population of $4,000 or more
has provided ample local parks: and
much smaller cities and villages have
followed the example in proportion.
while 1t was possible TO reserve parks
at reasonable cost. The total area OF
1nese Smau-city parks is found in ex-
cess Of 25.000 acres.
State parks cover 6500000 acres. and
the great national parks, without the
new areas subsequently acquired. ex-
ceeo the enormous expanse, in the ag-
gTegate, Of 10000, 900 acres - about
oouole the total area of New England
IneTe Is radical difference between
the local parks and the State and ma
tlonal parks. the former usually being
artificial in layout and decoration. the
IatteT-1State and acknowledging char
acteristically as Nature created the
scenic beauty and phenomena. which
tolerate no human artifce except the
building OF roads and trails that en-
able the wondering visitor to gain more
thorough access.
Il is interesting I'd note that Phila-
oelphia has the largest local park of
any city. and that it amounts TO one
acre for each 234 inhabitants-a total
Of 3,75i acres. New York City pro-
vides only one acre for each $50 in
haoitsnts. Chicago has captured more
than 10000 park acres. not all within
city boundaries, but within easy access
70 those who have automobiles. al
though the pity Of it is that parks are
most needed by people who have nc
means Of travel Minneapolis beats
them all IN parks, with an acre of park
Tor each 100 citizens. Still not all the
area Of Minneapolis parks is actually
within the corporate limits, but must
be reached by automobile. Minnesota
Is famous for its 10000 lakes. but II
has no mountains.
The attractions Of the Minneapolis
park region are no more accessible to
the man without transportation than
are those of the Nations greatest me-
tgopoliE, and 50 = Is misleading tc
Judge c!tY's parks merely by statistics
o. acreage. New YORK City no longer
boasts ~ its Central Park as the
lung" Of the metropolis, II is nov
Wanting itself because In Wegtchegter
County. north Of the city, hundreds Of
thousands Of tired urban workers may
1Eao rest and Nature untTammeied by
means of their automobiles There, in
the country, VIII be found fields and
forests, plains and hills. rivers and run
ming brooks. 80. In this age Of auto
mobiles, cities seek the greater delights
outside Of metropolitan confusion
What would New York or Chicago or
Philadelphia or Minneapolis give for
the Blue Ridge Mountains Il the lofty
peaks and mighty waterfalls, winding
brooks ard the magnificent Gnenan-
ooSh valley could be- put within two or
three hours drive from the center Of
urban hustle. Just as these wonders Of
Nature lie in relation 10 Washington? 4?
The Rational Capital is proud of it,
Rock Creek PARK. which Is larger than
keT YOrkg Central PaTk and which
has f1ac the good fortune VI wise han
ding whereby SIS natural beauties have
been sacTecly preserved There are 10
ar9OFs amongst the towering forests
but there are Natures pranks of huge
Lou3oeFs pied ia The creek ~ MAKE
T1ppaeS ano miniature cataTacts, while
overhead tne trees torn arches across
the shaded water 50 Rock Greek PARK
Il q charming local retreat for the
pedestrian and & cfgazlng lure for the
GaS3tnR loy-Ylder 8a0 csn navigate the
many turns 10 rs PARK drives. r. Is