Did You Know?
Visitors spend over $2.3 billion annually in communities adjacent to the Parkway. Photo by Todd Bush
Location
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Augusta County, Virginia
Near milepost 0
By the early 1700s, the population along the eastern seaboard of America was growing steadily, so it was no surprise when people began casting their eyes westward—to the backcountry, as it was then called. The western frontier at the time was the Shenandoah Valley, territory that had hardly been explored by European settlers. In the 1720s immigrants were technically settling in Orange County, which today is east of the Blue Ridge. As the numbers of settlers increased, it became apparent to legislators that new counties needed to be formed. On Nov. 1, 1738 an act was passed that carved two Shenandoah Valley counties out of Orange. They were Frederick, named for the Prince of Wales, and Augusta, named for the Princess of Wales. The description of Augusta included the phrase “to the utmost limits of Virginia.” At that time the British Crown claimed all the territory to the Mississippi so that meant Augusta stretched to that river. Technically, of course, there were very few English settlers in the far reaches of Augusta.
Today, Augusta County is still part of the scenic Shenandoah Valley. The independent cities of Waynesboro and Staunton are contained within the county. There is an abundance of cultural and recreational opportunities. Natural Chimney Regional Park is home to rock formations 120 feet above the pastoral terrain of the Shenandoah Valley, offering onlookers a sight unrivaled in majesty. Viewed from one angle, the formations resemble enormous chimneys standing in bleak contrast to the greenery of the Valley. Sherando Lake in Lyndhurst, VA, is one of Virginia’s most popular camping grounds with 65 family sites as well as group sites. The Andre Viette Farm & Nursery in Fishersville is the place to buy daylilies. Andre Viette is featured on National Public Radio’s “In the Garden with Andre Viette” every Saturday, and the popular Daylily & Wine Festival takes place there every July.
Like many Blue Ridge Parkway communities, Augusta County draws visitors to the region to experience first hand the charm and beauty that define this region. It is located near two major interstates: I-64 and I-81; milepost 0 of the Blue Ridge Parkway is located just minutes away.
