Evening star., 1938-09-11
By Joseph L. Edgertou.

THE towering Businesses of Mount
Mitchell, the austere rugged
ness of Old Grandfather, the
\ serene beauty Of the Peaks of
Otter and the Pinnacles of Dan will
be among scores Of points celebrated
in mountain lore and history which
will be brought within reach of the
average American within the next few
months.
Out of the mountain wall of the
Blue Ridge, the Federal Government
now is hewing q tourists paradise,
unique in concept, which may prove
the key to a magnificent system of
motor parkways without parallel
anywhere in the world.
BY next summer the National Park
Service expects to have a l40-mile
section of the Blue Ridge Parkway,
connecting the Shenandoah National
Park and the Great Smokes National
Park, open for service Other sections
Of the 480-mile mountain-top motor
parkway are under construction in
Virginia and North Carolina, their
total amounting to approximately half
OF the parkway.
At the same time, work is going
forward rapidly on construction of the
NatcheZ Trace, wonderful motor
parkway similar in concept to the Blue
Ridge Parkway, which follows the
route of the famous Indian and pioneer
trail. or trace from Nashville, Tenn,
to Natchez Miss
Government surveyors and engineers
also are at work laying out the Ogle-
thorpe Trail, a great motor parkway
planned for construction between
Savannah and Augusta, Ga
pRESIDENT ROOSEVELT, an ard
ent believer in the new type of
natural parkway being developed for
the enjoyment of Americans of this
a future mountain-top parkway ex-
tending from the Shenandoah National
Parkway through Virginia, Maryland
and Pennsylvania into New England
and the eastern provinces Of Canada.
Before the end of this fiscal year
the Blue Ridge Parkway will be well
advanced. With the Skyline Drive,
in Shenandoah National Park, it will
provide approximately $50 miles of
magnificent highways in the clouds,
along the crest Of some of the most
picturesque mountains in the world,
climbing in places to an elevation Of
q mile above sea-level. Plans call
for completion of the entire section
from Roanoke, Va, to Asheville, N. c.,
within two years.
Park officials are confident that
when American motorists become ac-
quainted with the breath-taking mag
nif1cence IF these mountain-top
boulevards and their complete freedom
from cross-traffic problems and city
driving, there will be a tremendous
demand for actual realization Of Presi-
dent Roosevelts dream of scenic
parkway from Canada to Georgia.
GRADING and drainage of SIS miles
Of the Blue Ridge Parkway in
Virginia have been completed, and sur
facing of these sections now is pro-
CeQ1IlR uIlOet tuiill dIl VA tAAO co
miles, Al miles are in one section from
Adney Gap, about Is miles southwest
of Roanoke, to the Pinnacles Of Dan,
about SO miles from the North Carolina
boundary. The other section, Of about
8 miles, extends from the southern
boundary of the Shenandoah National
Park at Jarman's Gap, to Rockflsh
Gap, where United States route $50
crosses the backbone of the Blue Ridge
between Charlottesville and Staunton.
This section is of primary importance,
since it provides a connection between
the southern end OF the Skyland Drive
and the only major highway in the
vicinity leading down out OF the noun
tains.
The 33-mile section OF the parkway
between the Pinnacles of Dan and the
North Carolina line soon will be under
construction, bids for grading having
been advertised for about 13 miles
and grading contracts awarded for
the remainder. This 33-mile section
will connect the F-n1iie unit now be-
ing paved from Adney Gap to the
Pinnacles of Dan with 59-mile unit
already graded in North Carolina. pro-
viding total Of approximately 140
miles of continuous nountain-top
parkway road.
The SO miles of graded parkway IN
North Carolina, from the Virginia line
to the vicinity Of Deep Gap, now are
under contract for surfacing. This
section terminates at the point where
connection is made on the crest of
the Blue Ridge with United States
route 42l between Wukesboro and
Boone. N. c.
Grading contracts have been award
ed for three additional sections of the
parkway in North Carolina totaline
approximately 81 miles. Th sec.
tions between Beacon Heights and
Gooch Gap. extending south of tower
ing, rocky Grandfather Mountain ono
OF the most picturesque spots a,ono
the entire parkway
DORING the present fiscal wear
ending June 80. 1889, it is planned.
to construct five additional sections
totaling so miles in Virginia, between
Roanoke and Rockfish Gap In North
Carolina 1t is planned to build four
sections totaling approximately 80