Near Ewing in Lee County, Virginia — The American South (Mid-Atlantic)
Named for a British Lord
By Craig Swain, September 5, 2010
1. Named for a British Lord Marker
The town you see 1,400 feet below, the mountain on which you stand, and the Gap itself all bear the name of an English royal - the Duke of Cumberland. Prince William Augustus (1721-1765) was the third and favorite son of King George II. The popular young nobleman was sometimes called "Sweet William" after he successfully crushed the 1745 Jacobite rebellion in Scotland. In Virginia, Peter Jefferson, Joshua Fry, and Thomas Walker - all politically well-connected planters - formed the Loyal Land Company in 1749 to sell Virginia's western lands. The Governor's Council in Williamsburg granted Loyal Land title to 800,000 acres west of these mountains. Sometime after Thomas Walker explored here in 1750, the Gap was named for Sweet William.
Erected by Cumberland Gap National Historical Park - National Park Service - Department of the Interior.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Colonial Era • Exploration.
Location. 36° 36.311′ N, 83° 40.032′ W. Marker is near Ewing
By Brandon Fletcher, March 30, 2012
2. Named for a British Lord Marker
Marker in distance (yellow arrow)
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. A Maze of Mountains (here, next to this marker); Powell's Valley (a few steps from this marker); Generations Have Enjoyed this View (within shouting distance of this marker); Boundaries Settled (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); "This American Gibraltar" (about 400 feet away in Kentucky); Waiting for the Battle that Never Came (about 400 feet away in Kentucky); Pinnacle Overlook (about 500 feet away in Kentucky); Iron Furnace (approx. ¼ mile away in Tennessee). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Ewing.
Also see . . . Cumberland Gap National Historical Park. (Submitted on September 19, 2010, by Craig Swain of Leesburg, Virginia.)
By Craig Swain, September 5, 2010
3. View of the Valley Below
By Brandon Fletcher, March 30, 2012
4. The Town of Cumberland Gap
Credits. This page was last revised on June 16, 2016. It was originally submitted on September 19, 2010, by Craig Swain of Leesburg, Virginia. This page has been viewed 521 times since then and 9 times this year. Photos: 1. submitted on September 19, 2010, by Craig Swain of Leesburg, Virginia. 2. submitted on September 14, 2015, by Brandon Fletcher of Chattanooga, Tennessee. 3. submitted on September 19, 2010, by Craig Swain of Leesburg, Virginia. 4. submitted on September 14, 2015, by Brandon Fletcher of Chattanooga, Tennessee.
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