Albemarle County. Albemarle County was formed in 1744 from Goochland County and named for William Anne Keppel, the second Earl of Albemarle, titular governor of Virginia from 1737 to 1754. A portion of Louisa County was later added to . . . — — Map (db m4030) HM
Built during the nineteen-thirties, Rockfish Gap Country Store was first
used as a peach packing shed by Chesly A. Hayden. Not only was it the
biggest warehouse distribution center in the county, but it also ranked
among the top three in the . . . — — Map (db m234295) HM
Shortly after Congress authorized the creation of two new eastern national parks—Shenandoah and Great Smokey Mountains—President Franklin Roosevelt saw great opportunity in constructing the first "national rural parkway" to connect . . . — — Map (db m170604) HM
During Restoration of the Blue Ridge Tunnel, measures were taken to minimize disturbance of wildlife. With removal of bulkheads from the center, the passage can now provide additional, ideal wintering habitat for bats and year-round habitats for . . . — — Map (db m196499) HM
Census records and other documents prove that hundreds of the Irish immigrants who worked on the Blue Ridge Railroad resided in Augusta county. Many rented houses or built shanties that lined both sides of the Rockfish Gap Turnpike. From the bottom . . . — — Map (db m196501) HM
The Blue Ridge Tunnel, which opened to railroad traffic in 1858, lies beneath Rockfish Gap, where Interstate 64, U.S. Route 250, Skyline Drive, the Blue Ridge Parkway, and the Appalachian Trail converge. The Blue Ridge Railroad Company, overseen by . . . — — Map (db m234008) HM
Claudius Crozet (1789-1864) was born in France and grew up in Paris. In June 1816, he married, and the newlyweds soon sailed to the United States. They landed in a country that matched Crozet's temperament. In France, he had studied engineering, . . . — — Map (db m170627) HM
The Crozet Blue Ridge Tunnel, 4,273 feet in length, was the longest railroad tunnel in North America when constructed in 1849-1858. Irish and enslaved craftsmen and laborers excavated the tunnel using hand drills and black powder. Chief Engineer . . . — — Map (db m170631) HM
The Blue Ridge Tunnel was constructed between 1849 and 1859 beneath Rockfish Gap in the Blue Ridge Mountains of central Virginia. The tunnel first opened in 1858 to allow rail access through Afton Mountain. It was designed by French immigrant . . . — — Map (db m170605) HM
Near this site on September 21, 1933, Richard C. duPont was launched from Afton Mountain in his Bowlus sailplane, Albatross. Four hours and fifty minutes later he landed at Frederick, Maryland, establishing a United States distance record for . . . — — Map (db m21799) HM
At its western edge, this 16,300-acre historic district takes in Rockfish Gap, which at 1,903' elevation is the lowest passage through the Blue Ridge Mountains for a span of more than 110 miles. The district has been a focal point for routes . . . — — Map (db m106831) HM
Nelson County. Nelson County was named for Thomas Nelson, Governor of Virginia from June to November, 1871. It was formed in 1807 from Amherst County. Oak Ridge, birthplace of William Cabell Rives and later the residence of Thomas Fortune . . . — — Map (db m21701) HM
Low passway across Blue Ridge, elev. 1909. Served the buffalo, Indian, and covered wagon. Thomas Jefferson came via stage coach in 1818 to Rockfish Tavern. He presided over a prominent group who resolved to locate the University of Virginia "in the . . . — — Map (db m71553) HM
The commission appointed to select a site for the University of Virginia met 1-4 August 1818 in the tavern that stood nearby. Among the 21 members present were former presidents Thomas Jefferson and James Madison, as well as judges Spencer Roane, . . . — — Map (db m21831) HM
Chief engineer Claudius Crozet divided the Blue Ridge Railroad into sixteen construction sections, but not all at once. Section one was the Blue Ridge Tunnel and 1,000 feet beyond each portal. Sections two, three and four moved east from Nelson . . . — — Map (db m170628) HM
In early 1850, hundreds of Irish famine immigrants poured into the counties of Albemarle, Nelson and Augusta. Accompanied by relatives, they came to build the Blue Ridge Railroad and its four tunnels. Those working in the Blue Ridge Tunnel . . . — — Map (db m170630) HM
At the close of the eighteenth century, Virginia stretched from the Atlantic Ocean to the Ohio River. The coastal plain, Piedmont, Blue Ridge Mountains, and Alleghany Mountains lay between, with the James River running east to west. From the . . . — — Map (db m170607) HM
