The Blue Ridge Tunnel

The true story of the construction of the historic Crozet railroad tunnel—as seen through the eyes of three Irish immigrant families who helped build it. In one of the greatest engineering feats of the time, Claudius Crozet led the completion of Virginia’s Blue Ridge Tunnel in 1858. More than a century and a half later, the tunnel stands as a National Historic Civil Engineering Landmark, but the stories and lives of those who built it are the true lasting triumph. Irish immigrants fleeing the Great Hunger poured into America resolved to find something to call their own. They would persevere through life in overcrowded shanties and years of blasting through rock to see the tunnel to completion. In this intriguing history, Mary E. Lyons follows three Irish families in their struggle to build Crozet’s famed tunnel—and their American dream. Includes photos and illustrations

This comprehensive guidebook provides a detailed description of every official National Park Service trail along the Blue Ridge Parkway. But that's just the beginning: veteran hiker Leonard M. Adkins includes information on every trail that touches the parkway, including the Appalachian Trail and other public pathways on national park, state park, national forest, municipal, and private lands, along with citations for the Mountains-to-Sea Trail. Far more than a guide to the trails, this book will help you plan your whole trip. It's the perfect companion for your next parkway adventure. Includes: - every public trail along the parkway - GPS coordinates and 72 maps - 255 total trails, including 12 new trails since the last edition - trail length and difficulty - points of interest - wheelchair accessibility - a short history of the parkway and region - campgrounds and lodges - public restroom locations - elevation change charts for cyclists - tunnel heights for RVs - wildflower bloom calendar - selected sightseeing information on nearby towns

Between 1849 and 1859, Virginia raced to pierce the Blue Ridge Mountains by rail and reach the Ohio River. At least 300 enslaved people labored involuntarily toward that goal, along with 1,500 Irish immigrants. The state leased the labor of enslaved Virginians from local slaveholders, including four connected with nearby University of Virginia. Blue Ridge Tunnel and Blue Ridge Railroad historian Mary E. Lyons explored hundreds of primary documents to write the first nonfiction book about slave labor on a specific antebellum railroad. She shares hundreds of enslaved people's names, traces where they toiled along the line and describes their backbreaking--and sometimes fatal--tasks.

Presents the story of the Natural Tunnel in Scott County, Virginia. This work includes images and accounts that span from its geological beginnings to its role as a premier state park.

In 1849, Virginia began a bold railroad expansion toward the Ohio River and its lucrative trade connections. The project's plan covered 423 miles and called for piercing two mountain chains with three railroads. The Blue Ridge Railroad was the shortest of these but crossed the most mountainous terrain. At times, hired slaves, who prepared the tracks, and Irish immigrants, who blasted the tunnels, faced challenges that seemed almost insurmountable. Many were killed by explosions and falling rock. Those deaths often resulted in labor strikes. The unrest slowed progress and haunted chief engineer Claudius Crozet for seven years. In this first full-length history of the Blue Ridge Railroad, award-winning author Mary E. Lyons uses a wealth of historical documents to describe construction on what Crozet called "dangerous ground."

There is no ribbon of highway more ideal for cycling than the Skyline Drive and Blue Ridge Parkway - they both entice the senses and physically challenge the body. The new edition of Bicycling the Blue Ridge continues as the definitive guide to this cyclist's dream road, offering completely updated information on lodging, bike shops, campgrounds, road crossings, points of interest, bed and breakfasts, panoramic views, groceries, and more. Written with racers, touring cyclists, and recreational cyclists in mind, this milepost-by-milepost guide covers every inch of the 574-mile path between Front Royal, Virginia, and Cherokee, North Carolina.

Seven chapters explore the diverse geology of Virginia, from its Appalachian highlands to the Atlantic shore.

Telling the story of Tweetsie Railroad and the East Tennessee Railway, this book documents the history of the standard gauge ET & WNC after the narrow gauge was gone and is illustrated with many maps and photographs.