Near Ewing in Lee County, Virginia — The American South (Mid-Atlantic)
Generations Have Enjoyed this View
Myers Cooper, Governor of Ohio, at the dedication of Skyland Highway, June 4, 1929
Pinnacle Mountain's Skyland Highway paved the way to create a National Park.
Called "an engineering marvel" when it first opened in 1929, Skyland Highway provided an easy drive to stunning views.
Sightseers in the 1930s climbed a wooden platform to enjoy what the Sky Land Company called "the Garden of Gazes."
In the late 1940s widespread support for a national park at Cumberland Gap steadily grew as vacation travel boomed after World War II.
From the 1890s on, nearby Chimney Rock was a popular day-trip destination for excursionists coming up from Middlesboro.
The Dixie Highway
In the early 20th century vacationers wanted to "see America first" - by car. Motor enthusiasts joined clubs like the Dixie Highway Association. From 1915 to 1927, the Association encouraged states to pave a system of roads so that motorists could drive all the way from Ontario south to Miami. The Dixie Highway introduced tens of thousands of travelers from across the nation to Cumberland Gap.
Erected by Cumberland Gap National Historical Park - National Park Service - Department of the Interior.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Landmarks • Roads & Vehicles. A significant historical date for this entry is June 4, 1747.
Location. 36° 36.327′ N, 83° 40.036′ W. Marker is near Ewing, Virginia, in Lee County. Marker can be reached from Pinnacle Road, on the right when traveling east. Located on the Pinnacle Overlook trail in Cumberland Gap National Historical Park. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Ewing VA 24248, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Boundaries Settled (within shouting distance of this marker); Gateway to Kaintuck (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line in Kentucky); Pinnacle Overlook (about 300 feet away in Kentucky); Top Guns (about 400 feet away in Kentucky); "This American Gibraltar" (about 400 feet away in Kentucky); a different marker also named Pinnacle Overlook (about 400 feet away in Kentucky); a different marker also named Gateway to Kaintuck (about 400 feet away in Kentucky); Gap Cave (approx. 0.2 miles away). 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.)
Credits. This page was last revised on December 2, 2022. It was originally submitted on September 19, 2010, by Craig Swain of Leesburg, Virginia. This page has been viewed 826 times since then and 63 times this year. Photos: 1. submitted on September 14, 2015, by Brandon Fletcher of Chattanooga, Tennessee. 2. submitted on September 19, 2010, by Craig Swain of Leesburg, Virginia. 3. submitted on September 14, 2015, by Brandon Fletcher of Chattanooga, Tennessee. 4. submitted on September 19, 2010, by Craig Swain of Leesburg, Virginia. 5. submitted on November 15, 2022, by Craig Doda of Napoleon, Ohio. 6. submitted on August 29, 2022, by Tom Bosse of Jefferson City, Tennessee.