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| The Blue Ridge Stonyman Park Preserve (later Skyland) was incorporated by Stephen M. Allen and George H. Pollock on October 1, 1889 and went bankrupt soon thereafter. George Freeman Pollock gained legal title to Skyland in 1906. Early guests paid $9.50/week and slept in tents furnished with cots, chairs, washstands and pitchers. The accommodations may have been simple, but the views were spectacular |
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| A National Park is Born. And Built In 1926, U.S. Congress authorized the establishment of Shenandoah National Park to preserve and protect over 350,000 acres of eastern deciduous forest and farms, now a sanctuary for more than 100 varieties of trees, 200 species of birds and 1,100 flowering plants. Lands were gradually purchased using private donations and through condemnation using state funds. On December 26, 1935, Virginia gave the deeds to the Federal Government, formally establishing the park. In 1936, Shenandoah was dedicated by President Franklin D. Roosevelt. The Virginia Sky-Line Company assumed operating Skyland as a resort in 1937. In 1939 Big Meadows Lodge was built using stones cut from Massanutten Mountain. Most of the park’s picnic areas, comfort stations, overlooks and landscaping were completed by the Civilian Conservation Corps between 1933 and 1942. |
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| Growing In Beauty, and Popularity. In the years to follow, Shenandoah's forests and wildlife proliferated. In 1997, the Skyline Drive Historic District was added to the National Register of Historic Places. Today, approximately 1.5 million visitors come to Shenandoah each year to enjoy this natural wonder. It is our hope that this park, created as a peaceful refuge for nearby urban populations, will continue to offer relaxation, recreation and inspiration for many generations to come. |
