Evening star., 1937-06-13


resorts during recent months has pre-
pared them for a mighty influx of
vacation seekers Uncle Sam, too, has
helped boom the vacation business
with contributions for national parks,
highways and historical shrines and
the new law that gives Federal en-
ployes 80 days annual leave.
Spread in rough circle around
Washington are the mountains of
Virginia. West Virginia, Maryland and
Pennsylvania, the Blue Ridge, the
Alleghenies and the Poconos, with the
Shenandoah and other valleys leading
the way to and through them.
The greatest problem Of mountain
vacationists - accessibility - has vir-
tually been eliminated in the last few
years, and the visitors will find 1t easy
to get there, and more than ever to
make them stay.
While the Federal Government has
moved rapidly with development OF
Shenandoah National Park, the State
OF Virginia has not neglected its own
State parks. In the mountains are
Douthat Fairystone and Hungry
Mother Greek State Parks, the nat
ural wonders Of the range running
from Battlefield Crystal Caverns on
southwestward through the Luray,
Endless, Shenandoah, Massanutten.
Grand, Dixie and Giant Caverns and
Natural Bridge.
STEEPED in history and tradition
and natural beauty. Virginia long
ago began to call attention Of Ameri-
can vacationists to its asSets-moun-
tain views, log cabin havens Of good
old mountain music and The Trail
OF the Lonesome Pine" lakes, noun
tain brooks, resorts and camps, and
the wonders Of nature and history and
the entire field of sport.
The Virginia Conservation Commits
don has just opened six State parks,
with greatly increased facilities for
the visitor. All Of the parks now have
bathing pools or lakes or are located
on saltwater rivers or Chesapeake
Bay, where fine swimming and fishing
are available
The attractions include series of
f1ne national forest parks and rec
reational areas scattered along the
western edge of Virginia in the
100000 acres of the George Wash
ington and Jefferson National Forests.
Virginia mountain resorts have added
numerous improvements. At the
unique Mountain Lake resort a new
native stone hotel has been added
to the large cottage colony and the
old hotel, while the Summer camps
formerly held on the shores Of this
body Of water, 4,5o0 feet above sea
level, will be continued
In Shenandoah National Park ap-
proximately 10 miles of the Skyline
Drive has been opened to the public,
while the three resorts located in the
area have been taken over by Gov
ernment conceSsionaires and are be-
Ing improved for Summer use. A con-
structton program which shortly will
make several hundred cottages avail
able in the area is being started
Opening Of the new Sherando Lake
Forest Camp, with its 2O7-foot dam
ilnpounding a 20-acre lake, featured
the recent events in Virginia forest
recreation development. The camp,
located in George Washington Ma
tional Forest, IA miles southwest OF
Waynesboro, was completed during the
Winter and promises to be one of the
most popular Of all Virginia camps.
OTHER national forest camps in
clude Elizabeth Furnace Camp,
near Strasburg in the Ma.Banutten
Mountains; the New Market Gap
Forest Camp. east of New Market, and
the North River Forest Camp, at the
Staunton Dam, northwest of Staunton
From Harrisonburg, Va, Maj. E. NJ
Brown, president Of Natural Wonders,
Inc, owners Of Virginia Caverns, on
Highway U. S. II, six miles north Of
HarrSonburg, has announced that the
name Virginia Caverns" has been
changed to THE Caverns Of Melrose." ="
Melrose Is the name OF the section
OF Rockingham County in which the
Caverns are situated.
At New Market. Va, delegation
from Mammoth Cave Of Kentucky
recently spent several hours in Endless
Caverns examining the subterranean
lighting, said to be the first and finest
indirect flood lighting system installed
in any caverns, with the object OF get
ting ideas which may be carried out
1t Mammoth Cave
In Pennsylvania mountains the
new bowling green at Skytop Club,
6kytop, has been open since May Is,