Near Washington in Rappahannock County, Virginia — The American South (Mid-Atlantic)
A Skyline Drive for a Bird's-Eye View
Shenandoah National Park
Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, May 17, 2019
1. A Skyline Drive for a Bird's-Eye View Marker
Senator Harry F. Byrd, Virginia
When construction began on Skyline Drive in 1931, NPS landscape architects were challenged to design a new kind of road. Skyline Drive would "lay lightly on the land"—that is, roll across the mountain without major changes to the landscape.
The scenic highway should also provide opportunities for recreation and the simple pleasure of enjoying the view. To accomplish this, civil engineers devised clever ways to build a scenic-yet-stable road in steep and rocky terrain. This careful attention to the driving experience means that you hardly notice the road as you travel along, taking in the grand vistas before gliding into green tunnels of trees. It all melds together into a smooth memory: road, car, and scenery.
(marker background image caption)
As you travel along Shenandoahs Scenic Byway, notice how often you can see Skyline Drive peeking in and out from the trees, beckoning you to the next overlook. There are nearly 70 overlooks
this page online
Erected by National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Man-Made Features • Parks & Recreational Areas • Roads & Vehicles. A significant historical year for this entry is 1931.
Location. 38° 45.85′ N, 78° 13.632′ W. Marker is near Washington, Virginia, in Rappahannock County. It is on Skyline Drive (at milepost 17), on the right when traveling south. Marker is located at the Range View Overlook in Shenandoah National Park. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Washington VA 22747, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in Northern Virginia. It is also in the American South, specifically in the Upper South, and in the Mid-Atlantic. Globally, it is in the North Atlantic Region, North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture, one of the original Thirteen Colonies, one of the Confederate States of America, and the
Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, May 17, 2019
2. Skyline Drive for a Bird's-Eye View Marker
(wide view looking south Range View Overlook)
(wide view looking south Range View Overlook)
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 6 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: Come Back When You Have More Time (a few steps from this marker); Piedmont (approx. 3.2 miles away); Civilian Conservation Corps (approx. 3.7 miles away); Help Wanted! (approx. 3.7 miles away); Washington Graded School (approx. 4.9 miles away); The Town of Washington, Virginia (approx. 5.1 miles away); Confederate Monument (approx. 5.1 miles away); Honored In Their Generation (approx. 5.1 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Washington.
Another marker is no longer nearby. Range View (was a few steps from this marker but has been confirmed missing).
Related markers. Click here for a list of markers that are related to this marker. Range View Overlook
Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, May 17, 2019
3. A Skyline Drive for a Bird's-Eye View Marker
(wide view showing related marker on left)
(wide view showing related marker on left)
Photographed by Larry Gertner, June 14, 2019
4. The view from The Range View Overlook
Credits. This page was last revised on November 16, 2022. It was originally submitted on May 25, 2019, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. This page has been viewed 495 times since then and 23 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on May 26, 2019, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. 4. submitted on January 20, 2020, by Larry Gertner of New York, New York.
