Rock Castle Gorge Special History Study, Rocky Knob Recreation Area

Puckett, Anita; Allen, Leslie; Prince, Philip; Lutts, Ralph

This study describes the cultural history of Rock Castle Gorge (“the Gorge”) prior to acquisition of its properties by the Blue Ridge Parkway (“the Parkway”) in 1935-37. It also discusses the geology, ecology, and prehistory of the Gorge as they apply to the adaptations of the European settlers who lived there. The study focuses on the settlement patterns, folkways and daily life, economic patterns, material culture, education, and religious resources of the approximately 17-30 homesteads in the Gorge from approximately 1820 to 1937 when most settlement ceased and the Parkway, under the aegis of the National Park Service (NPS), owned and controlled all of the area except for one property. Therefore, the entire European white settlement of the Parkway portion of the Gorge lasted, at best, 120 years. Given the longevity of many residents, this relatively short period spans only about three to four generations of residents before Parkway acquisition. The oral histories forming the basis for this study therefore capture not only the memories of former residents who gave the interviews, but also their childhood recollections of interactions with some of the first settlers or their children. Also included in this study is a discussion of the Austin/Conner house, which was not purchased by the Parkway and which was occupied by descendants of original settlers until the mid 1950s. This house and surrounding acreage, which is still privately owned, is the site of the first permanent settlement in the Gorge and was a major contributor to Gorge cultural history. Its history is therefore critical to obtaining a holistic understanding of the Gorge contributions to United States regional history and to its unique place within the purview of the Blue Ridge Parkway itself. The overarching purpose of this study, then, is to provide both an overview and a detailed description of life in the Gorge when it was a vibrant human community for the purpose of Parkway cultural and historic interpretation and preservation. It also suggests ways to develop visitor, local resident, and Parkway programming that will engage various publics in a manner that meets the National Park Service’s mission to revitalize communities, preserve local history, celebrate local heritage, and create close to home opportunities for kids and families to get outside, be active, and have fun. The focus of the work is therefore to provide factual information with primary source documentation on various topics pertinent to its purpose from an historical ethnographic perspective. It differs from more narrative publications, such as Michael Ryan’s Life in Rock Castle, Virginia In Their Own Words in its commitment to a multidisciplinary documentation of the Gorge up to acquisition by the NPS. In so doing, it offers material that interpreters from various disciplinary orientations can contextualize in their own ways to construct interpretations that fit their approaches and interests.

Rock Castle Gorge Special History Study, Rocky Knob Recreation Area

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