Westward Migration

Westward Migration. Settling the Frontier. The settlement of lands west of the Blue Ridge began in the mid-18th century, spurred by both the need for more land and the desire to push the frontier westward to create a buffer protecting eastern Virginia. Whereas most settlers of the east were of English origin, those in the west were primarily of Scots-Irish and German origin., Radford lies in a corridor of valleys that run through the mountains of Virginia. People have used this natural pathway for millennia, and early settlers made their way west using this path to bypass the mountains. As more settlers arrived, they pushed further down the corridor and further west, following the Great Wagon Road or Wilderness Road., The term road described pathways that sometimes were little more than trails. There was difficult terrain to traverse, including rivers. In 1762, the Virginia House of Burgesses authorized William Ingles to operate a ferry across the New River. Ingles Ferry became a vital crossing and a key reference point in the region, operating until 1842 when Thomas Ingles constructed a bridge at the site. Confederate forces burned the bridge in 1864, and ferry service resumed, running until 1948., In the 18th and early 19th centuries, transportation in the region was limited to foot or animal power, limiting how far one could travel in a day. To accommodate this limitation, residents along the Great Wagon Road opened countless ordinaries or taverns. These sites functioned as places to rest and refresh supplies. They grew into gathering places for people and sometimes towns developed around them., The Ingles family opened Ingles Ferry Tavern, which became a hub of activity. A short distance away, another tavern opened at Lovely Mount, one of many communities that gave rise to modern-day Radford., Captions (top to bottom) , . The Ingles Ferry Tavern (Pulaski County) located at the ferry site to provide for the needs of travelers. , . Late 19th century view of Ingles Farm. In the background is the New River avross which the Ingles family operated their ferry. , . Ingles Ferry crossing the New River, where the family operated it from 1762 to 1843 and from 1864 to 1948. Courtesy Mary Jane Harmon Collection