Near Dodson in Patrick County, Virginia — The American South (Mid-Atlantic)
Fairy Stone State Park
Erected 2000 by Department of Historic Resources. (Marker Number AS-1.)
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Environment. In addition, it is included in the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC), and the Virginia Department of Historic Resources (DHR) series lists. A significant historical date for this entry is June 15, 1936.
Location. 36° 47.923′ N, 80° 7.01′ W. Marker is near Dodson, Virginia, in Patrick County. Marker is at the intersection of Union Bridge Road (County Route 623) and Fairystone Lake Drive (Virginia Route 346), on the left when traveling north on Union Bridge Road. It is at the Stuart’s Knob Trail Head parking lot. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Stuart VA 24171, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 11 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. The Historic John D. Bassett High School (approx. 7.2 miles away); Colonel Abram Penn (approx. 8.2 miles away); Blue Ridge Mission School (approx. 8˝ miles away); Jacks Creek Covered Bridge (approx. 9 miles away); First Henry County Courthouse (approx. 10.1 miles away); Franklin County / Henry County (approx. 10.3 miles away); Rakes Mill Pond (approx. 10.4 miles away); Fort Trial (approx. 10.7 miles away).
More about this marker. Marker faces the road instead of being perpendicular to the road, so it is difficult to spot it from the distance.
It replaced a marker from before 1941 with the same title and number that read, “This park was developed by the National Park Service, Interior Department, through the Civilian Conservation Corps, in conjunction with the Virginia Conservation Commission. It covers 5,000 acres and was opened, June 15, 1936. It takes its name from the fairy, or lucky, stones found everywhere in this area.”
Also see . . . Fairy Stone Crosses. The caption on the postcard reproduced in Image No. 3 summarizes the legend of the miniature stone crosses that can be found around the park. This web page shows some samples and explains that “natural staurolite crystals that normally form just a bar-shaped crystal sometimes fuse together into crosses ... The crosses formed are these three styles: Roman Cross, St Andrews, and Maltese. ... Buy one and have good luck always ... Fairy stones are brown staurolite a combination of silica, iron and aluminum (and dots of real garnet). ... Rare staurolite stones are found elsewhere, such as Russia or France, but not in such abundance and not shaped so nearly like crosses as those in the vicinity of Fairy Stone State Park.” (Submitted on September 30, 2014.)
Credits. This page was last revised on January 20, 2020. It was originally submitted on June 10, 2013, by J. J. Prats of Powell, Ohio. This page has been viewed 1,057 times since then and 53 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on June 10, 2013, by J. J. Prats of Powell, Ohio. 3. submitted on September 30, 2014, by J. J. Prats of Powell, Ohio. 4. submitted on June 10, 2013, by J. J. Prats of Powell, Ohio. 5. submitted on September 30, 2014, by J. J. Prats of Powell, Ohio. 6. submitted on June 10, 2013, by J. J. Prats of Powell, Ohio.