Evening star., 1947-03-30
The 7 raveIer's Notebook
By Jacques FutreIle, Jr.


/ six parks on March /, and granted
priority for residents of the State
f"r the first 10 days in March. The
result was solid booking from the
first week in June until Labor Day
Residents of other States may write
for reservations for either one OF
two weeks from May IL to June 2
and from after Labor Day until the
last week in September.
| West Virginia followed approx
mately the same pattern, giving its
residents the jump on reservations
However, its cabins are available
earlier. They can be occupied TO.
one and two week periods as early
as April 26, but concessions, swim
ming pools and restaurants will not
be opened until June 2.
Virginia's parks are Westmore-
land, 81 miles from Washington;
Seashore, at Cape Henry, 206 miles;
Douthat, near Clifton Forge, 22O
miles; Fairy Stone, near Bassett
288 miles; Hungry Mother, near
Marion, 346 miles, and Staunton
River, near South Boston, 234 miles
Recreation, such as swimming, is
open to single day visitors, of course
X X
The stern policy of the National
Park Service against signs and re-
freshment stands cluttering up the
scenery has been modified to the
point that motorists along the Blue
Ridge parkway will know where they
are and what facilities lie ahead
Terse and neat lettering will say tc
spring and summer motorists not
simply Spruce Pine, miles," but
Spruce Pine, miles-Food, lodging
garages"
There still won't be peanuts and
popcorn, and maybe not hot dogs
available along the vacation boule-
ward on the crest of North Caro-
lina's western mountains, according
to Earl Petro, secretary of the North
Carolina Travel Council, but the
headquarters Office of the parkway
at Roanoke has announced some
food and drink will be available.
Ham and cheese sandwiches, gar
nished with mayonnaise and let
tuce, will be on sale at the Cumber-
land Knob picnic, first overlook stop
in North Carolina. The canteen
also will stock soft drinks, cigarettes,
cigars and tobacco, salted nuts,
candy and picture post cards.
The price list issued by parkway
ofhcials includes this itemi "Box
luncheon with napkins, two sand
wiches, cookies, potato chips, salad,
hot coffe or cold drink in cup with
lid; also "hot coffee to go out, 5
cents per cup, with cream and
sugar" Limited supplies of canned
and packaged luncheon items also
will be on sale.
Up until this year, parkway off,
cials permitted only directional and
mileage signs to come within the
motorists view.
Commenting on the decision to
add other pertinent information, Mr..
Petro said:
"The council is heartily in ac-
cord with the ban on commercial
signs on the parkway, but believes
the average motorist is incon-
venienced by not knowing where to
leave the parkway for the necessi-
ties OF travel. The new policy will
not mean cluttering the road with
commercial signs, but only in giving
an additional line OF information. {"
X X X X
Months earlier than the average
summer resort, Fontana Village has
begun its 1947 season. Fishermen
with dreams Of heavy catches of
bass and trout on Fontana Lake,
which backs up 30 miles from the
IVA dam in Western North Caro-
lima, Have moved in to occupy some
of the cottages that Government
Services, Inc, took over from iva
construction workers to transform
into mountain vacation town.
Reservations already on hand
point to a sizable increase in the
resort population In May. Raymond
D. Lewis, who supervises the project,