Evening star., 1934-08-05
SHR|NES or GREAT
MARK MOTOR TOUR
A Trip to Lexington and
Charlottesville Is Inspiring
as Well as Lovely.
BY CHARLES B. DEOGEs,

BY CHAKLES -, DkO1ESs
star cosrezponnent Of The Star.
CHARLOTTESVILLE. Va, Angus
4--The shrinea Of three Virginia i'm
raortals---Lee, Jefferson and Jackson
marx the course Of q fascinating toui
through the very heart Of the VALLEY
section of this mother State.
The spiritual beauty that has de-
seended from the characters Of thes'
staIwart virginians and which is fei
swesomely on every side here, i
rivalled only by the physical lowell
ness OF mountains and valleys and
streams that make this a gardenspoI
OF earth.
Many Approaches Available.
The approaches 10 and the ways
through this country are as varied as
they are attractive, and this corre-
spondent would hesitate TO recommend
any best" route. II Just happens that
he Travelled this week BY way OF War
renton and New MARKET to the Shen-
snooah Valley pike which is officially
named the Lee-Jatkson Memorial
Highway and conveniently tagged
route No. II. and straight down" the
Valley to Lexington Prom Lexington
he looped back over the Blue Ridge
20 Charlottesville, snd from here he'll
return to Washington by way OF Gull
pepper and Warrenton.
The roads from Washington 10 New
Market already have been described In
these Star travels so repetition of too
much detail is not needed here. It
might be recalled. however. that that
section OF the road between War
renton and Luray rises through
beautiful mountain scenery at Thorn
tons Gap upon which has been To-
Gated a pleasant resort known as
Panorama. From Luray this road
rises again to cross the Massanutten
Mountains. where has been established
the George Washington National
Forest. and then TO swing into soft
beauty Of Shenandoah Valley at New
Market.
Caverns Abound.
While In the vicinity of New Mar
ket the washington traveller who has
not yet visited the famous caverns
there should take time enough to see
at least one OF them. There is wide
choice: Endless Caverns, Shenan-
doah Caverns, Massanutten Caverns,
Blue Grottoes, Luray Caverns and
Grand Caverns Each has attractions
unique 10 itself and all are worth the
time spent In them.
At the present time the Lee Jack
son Highway presents an uninviting
spectacle at the junction of the road
from Luray. 1t Is badly torn up.
Nevertheless, the delay because of the
construction work is very slight and
the area covered by the project is
brief-a block or two within the city
of New Market. Once at the city's
limit, the road is broad, smooth and
wide open
Here might be the time for refiec-
ton upon one OF the Shenandoah
Valleys oddities. This reporter said
something to a New Market resident
about going "down" the Valley to Lex
ington. He smiled and pointed out
that actually, Lexington was up" the
Valley. It's like this. The Shenan-
doah River flows northward in its
valley to merge with the Potomac
River at Harper's Ferry. Therefore,
1t naturally is flowing down" the hill
of the Valley. Hence, If one travels
South in the Shenandoah Valley one
actually is ascending a grade and is
going up" the Valley.
up" Is Down.
So. travelling up Shenandoah VAL
ley. the Lexington bound traveller
passes. in turn, Harrisonburg, 10 miles
Up, and Staunton. another % miles
up, and finally, enters Lexington. S6
miles above" New Market. Not the
least interesting feature of this trip
Is the entrance to Lexington.
The Valley Pike becomes more or
less winding as 1t climbs the hills
between the Blue Ridge and the Ale
enemies few miles from Lexington.
Suddenly it makes a sharp left turn
10 travel along the banks OF the little
stream with the un1latterinA name
CalfpaSture River. A hundred wards
or less, the road swings right again
10 cross the river on a quaint COW
ered bridge. Many of the old-fash-
Toned covered bridges were virtual
tunnels, but while that one has a
roof. its sides are open.
Once across the bridge the valley
PIKE bears left and then swings in
broader curve to climb the heights
on which Lexington is built. One of
the nrst sights to arrest the tourist
is the famous old institution. whose
own traditions have been woven into
the traditions of Virginia and the
South--the Virginia Military Insti-
tute. Its .embattled architecture
marks 1t as a soldier post.
TURF. your car to the right for a
more intimate visit and you'll come
upon a broad, green-lawned fleld
You'll see him at once, old Stone
wall jackson, now in bronze, but
erect, military and commanding as
he was in life, reviewing the fields
on which his cadets march. The
statue is flanked with the same g.
pounoer guns which were his cadets
battery and which spoke" at Ma
nassas.
V. NJ. I. Founded in 1899.
Virginia Military Institute was
founded in 1889. AS nearly as possible
II was patterned after the Military
Academy at West Point. Its faculties
have included many West Point grad
yates and its graduates have made
their marks in every lauoaole walk of
life. Statistics published in the Viz
ginia Highway Historical Markers
volume point out that So per cent
Of all v. NJ. 7. men were in the World
War and that rs per cent of them
were commissioned officers. Rear
Admiral Richard E. Byrd, who even
now is making explorers history in
the Antarctic. waa V. M I. cadet.
Thomas J. jackson was a member
OF the V. N. I. faculty. and from