FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

For more information, contact:

Leesa Brandon – Executive Director and NC Coordinator
Blue Ridge Parkway 75, Inc.
828.271.4779, x 224

ASHEVILLE, NC and ROANOKE, VA (August 17, 2009) – The Blue Ridge Parkway, which will celebrate its 75th Anniversary in 2010, is recognized as one of the most beautiful stretches of road in America. But the scenic wonders are only a part of the magic of the Parkway: this 469-mile byway along the crest of the Blue Ridge Mountains in North Carolina and Virginia also stands as one of our country’s great engineering marvels.

Construction of the road began September 11, 1935, near the Virginia and North Carolina state line, with a goal of linking the Shenandoah National Park in Virginia and the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in North Carolina. An initiative under Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s New Deal to spark economic recovery during the Great Depression, building the Parkway became a testament to human ingenuity and spirit, as well as man’s ability to persevere and achieve unprecedented goals in design and the built environment.

Encompassing a grand vision for natural, cultural, and historic preservation of the Southern Appalachian Mountains, the Parkway’s construction was a collaborative effort between the National Park Service, the Public Works Administration, the Bureau of Public Roads, the Veterans Administration, the Resettlement Administration, the Civilian Conservation Corps, the United States Forest Service, the states of Virginia and North Carolina and, perhaps most notably, the brawn and resources of many private contractors.

With no maps for many parts of the mountains, landscape architects and surveyors literally walked much of the ultimate route of the road, creating astonishing maps and topographical sketches out in the field. The states’ governments negotiated rights-of-way for the road, and the end result was an innovative, elongated park system offering the leisure traveler some of the most spectacular scenery and recreational opportunities in the country.

Actual construction of the road occurred in sections simultaneously with the help of road and bridge engineers, architects, landscape architects, foresters, masons, and laborers. Today, the Parkway’s four sections – Pisgah, Highlands, Plateau, and Ridge – are dotted with 168 beautiful stone bridges built by gifted Spaniard and Italian stone masons. The stone facings of these old-style arched bridges and overpasses are synonymous with the rustic architectural style employed by the National Park Service as a way to blend these man-made structures with their natural environments.

All but one of the Parkway’s twenty-six tunnels are in North Carolina, and their existence is a testament to the keen skills of the operators of the drilling “Jumbos” – truck-mounted platforms equipped with water-cooled drills. After drilling into the substrata, the Jumbos would emerge and blasting charges would be placed in the holes. The resulting tunnels allowed for reduced landscape scarring, as well as more direct routes to the most desirable scenic venues.

The Parkway also offers travelers stunning panoramic views afforded by 264 overlooks, called “balconies” by local residents. Two basic types of overlooks line the road – one offering a picturesque vista and a second type featuring interesting cultural or natural resources, often accompanied by interpretive signage.

The last piece of the Parkway – the innovative Linn Cove Viaduct at Milepost 304 near Grandfather Mountain – was not completed until 1983. This 1,250-foot viaduct, a segmental cantilever structure erected using continuous construction, not only preserved the fragile mountain terrain, but also embodied one of the most ambitious engineering achievements to date. In fact, the American Society of Civil Engineers designates the Linn Cove Viaduct as a National Civil Engineering Landmark.

Blue Ridge Parkway 75, Inc. is the non-profit organization designated by the National Park Service to lead the Parkway’s 75th Anniversary celebration. With representation from all of the Parkway’s partner groups, the states of North Carolina and Virginia, and community leaders along the 469-mile scenic route, Blue Ridge Parkway 75, Inc.’s mission is to engage local communities and all visitors in an anniversary that focuses attention on a sustainable and healthy Parkway for future generations.