The Land and Natural Resources of Bath County
Atop Warm Springs Mountain, one gazes across a see of ridges rolling to the horizon — an unexpected, unbroken forest in a well-traversed part of America. The view was much the same for the Algonquins, who called these mountains allegheny, meaning "endless." To those native people, these seemingly endless mountains and valleys were sacred hunting and fishing grounds. Early colonists followed in their footsteps along well-worn bison and game trails, discovering the thermal springs for which this mountain is named.
Today, these historic highlands are also recognized as one of North America's richest natural treasures and are home to one of the healthiest, most biologically diverse forests in the world. These forests shelter cool headwater streams that deliver clean water to larger rivers, and eventually to millions of people in the East. One of those rivers, the Cowpasture, lies in a valley in front of you. Widely considered Virginia's most pristine river, it winds freely for some 75 miles through a rural landscape of farm fields and pastures. The Cowpasture and Jackson rivers merge near the town of Iron Gate to form the James River, which flows on to the Chesapeake Bay.
Warm Springs Mountain and lands stretching for miles to the east originally comprised the Douthat Survey, a vast colonial land grant. Now much of
this page online
Erected by Virginia Department of Transportation.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Colonial Era • Indigenous Peoples and Communities • Natural Resources • Settlements & Settlers.
Location. 38° 3.063′ N, 79° 45.969′ W. Marker is near Williamsville, Virginia, in Bath County. It is at the intersection of Ingalls Overlook Trail and Mountain Valley Road (Virginia Route 39), on the right when traveling north on Ingalls Overlook Trail. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Williamsville VA 24487, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley, in the Alleghany Highlands, and specifically in the Potomac Highlands. It is also in the American South, specifically in the Upper South, in Appalachia, and specifically in Southern Appalachia. 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 Antebellum South.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within one mile of this marker, measured as the crow flies: Life at the Tollhouse (here, next to this marker); The Turnpike Movement in Virginia, 1825-1835 (here, next to this marker); The Virginia Springs Resorts (a few steps from this marker); Settlement on Warm Springs Mountain (a few steps from this marker); Early Bath County Courthouses (approx. 0.8 miles away); Warm Springs Baths
Credits. This page was last revised on May 9, 2021. It was originally submitted on May 9, 2021, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. This page has been viewed 309 times since then and 8 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on May 9, 2021, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia.
