nc0478 1. U.S. Route 250 grade separation structure. This reinforced concrete, rigid frame structure was built in 1941. Its relatively flat arch provided maximum useful clearance in a short span and the physics of the design eliminated the need for extensive abutments to contain the thrust of traditional arches, making it ideally suited as a grade separation structure. BLRI designers made extensive use of theses bridges for crossing small streams and creeks, and grade separation structures, ornamenting them with a rustic stone facade. View is of the south-southeast elevation. 2. Humpback Rocks Visitor Center. Original was constructed in 1955 and opened 19 May 1956. Destroyed by arson in 1981, it was rebuilt as an expanded facility and opened the following year. In the foreground is a post-and-rail fence and a tower of truth. In the background to the right is a buck or Yankee Fence the view is west-northwest. 3. Humpback Rocks Visitor Center. View of the self-guided interpretive mountain farm trail and a post-and-rail fence in the foreground with humpback rocks in the background. The view is looking south. 4. Humpback Rocks Visitor Center. View of the Mountain Farm Exhibit located on the general site of the Old Charlie Carter Farm. To the left is the CA. 1890 single-crib log William Lawless Billy Ramsey house moved from below Robinson gap and to the right is a chicken house relocated from the John C. Clark Place about a mile north of Irish Gap. View faces north. 5. Humpback Rocks Visitor Center. Closeup view of the unmortared hand-laid stone and doorway of the root cellar, relocated from the John C. Clark Place. View faces east-southeast. 6. Humpback Gap Overlook. View of stone rail-and-rider fences, commonly referred to as hog fences. There were built by civilian public service employees in 1943. An original wall crossed the mountain just south of Humpback Gap just south of Humpback Gap, but the new section was provided to be more visible to visitors. View faces west-northwest. 7. Humpback Gap Overlook. View of stone rail-and-rider fences built in 1943 with the curvilinear alignment of the parkway in the background. View facing southwest. 8. View of one of the many rock cuts necessary to build the parkway. Looking to the west-southwest. 9. Raven's roost overlook detail of the rusticated stone retaining wall/railing and stone curbing. Facing west. 10. View of one of the many agricultural leases along the parkway and one of the few Axial Parkway alignments. Looking southwest. 11. Big sky overlook view across war fields looking east-southeast. 12. View of U.S. Route 250 grade separation structure at TYP Gap. Typical example of a concrete reinforced, rigid frame structure built for a major road access point. This structure was built in 1949. It is one of several examples in Virginia where the interior abutment wall has been finished with rustic stone rather than being left as bare concrete. View is facing east. 13. Whetstone Ridge. View of the restaurant and gift shop. It's board-and-batten construction with a long integral shed porch across the front, a jerkinhead roof and stone chimney are a reflection of the Appalachian Culture the parkway endeavors to interpret. The view is toward the southwest. 14. View of one of the few examples of a buck or Yankee Fence along the parkway. The fence is parkway right while the view is north-northeast. 15. Yankee Horse Ridge. View of the trail crossing the Yankee Horse Railroad bed. Facing south. 16. Yankee Horse Ridge. View of the Yankee Horse Railroad trestle looking north. Looking north. 17. Rocky Mountain viaduct. This steel girder viaduct was built in 1942. All of the reinforced concrete was faced with a rustic stone facade. View is to east. 18. Rocky Mountain Viaduct. This view shows the stone faced arched piers. It is the only structure on the parkway with this feature. View is facing east. 19. Virginia Route 605 grade separation structure. This reinforced concrete rigid frame structure. This reinforced concrete rigid frame structure was built in 1950. It is an example of the most common ornament used on the parkway where the headwall, wingwalls, and railing is faced rusticated stone, but not the interior abutment walls and the bottom of the arch are plain concrete. 20. View showing the curvilinear alignment of the parkway. Looking northeast. 21. U.S. Route 60 elliptical spandrel arch grade separation structure, built in 1959. This view shows the east elevation. This structure type was used nearly exclusively at the parkway's primary access points where consideration of vertical and horizontal clearances as well as aesthetic concerns influenced design selection. 22. U.S. Route 60 grade separation structure. Detail of the arch stones on the east elevation. View facing north. 23. Bluff Mountain tunnel. View of the west porta. 24. View of the parkway following the course of otter creek. Looking southeast. 25. Otter Creek Bridge #2. View of the stone facing common on nearly all concrete box culverts. The stone faced arch mimics rigid frame structures. Culverts were used for a variety of purposes from small stream crossings to grade separation structures for farmers whose land was split by the parkway. Looking northeast. 26. Otter Creek Bridge #5. View of elevation of stone facing on concrete box culvert. Stone facing appears on the headwall, tail wall, wingwalls, interior abutment wall and the pier. Looking northwest. 27. Otter Creek Bridge #5. Detail of the interior abutment wall. Wingwall, and facade thickness. 28. Otter Creek Campground, view of Creekside Campsite. Facing south-southwest. 29. Otter Creek Campground, view of Creekside Campsite. Looking south-southeast. 30. Otter Lake Dam. View shows rustic stone facade of the dam. The stepped face of the dam gives the illusion of a natural cascade. Facing southeast. 31. Otter Lake Dam. Vertical view looking southeast. 32. Otter Lake Dam. View from downstream show how the dam blends into its environment. Looking east-northeast. 33. Otter Lake. View of the lake created by Otter Lake Dam. View is northwest. 34. Otter Lake. Tree framed view of Otter Lake. Facing southwest. 35. James River Visitor Center. Opened as an open air visitor center in 1962, it was enclosed and a heating system installed in 1984 to allow use through the cooler months and help reduce vandalism. Looking northeast. 36. James River Visitor Center. View of visitor center entrance, bench, and drinking fountain. Looking west. 37. Harry Flood Byrd Memorial Bridge. View of the underslung pedestrian bridge which provides access between the James River Visitor Center and the James River and Kanawha Canal. View is facing west-southwest. 38. James River and Kanawha Canal Locks. The canal, which operated between 1835 to 1880, serves as the focal point of the area's interpretation. The Battery Creek Lock was reconstructed between 1961 and 1965. Severe flooding in 1985 damaged the lock gates which were reconstructed in 1987-88. The view is to the south. 39. Harry Byrd Flood Memorial Bride. This 1,040 prestressed concrete girder bridge, built in 1959, is the longest of its type on the parkway. 40. Peaks of Otter Visitor Center. The stone faced visitor was completed in 1957 with a comfort station added in the mid-1960's. View is to the northwest. 41. View of the peaks of Outter Gas Station, one of only two left on the parkway. View to the northwest. 42. Peaks of Otter, Abbott Lake. View across lake to peaks of Outter Lodge, completed in 1964. Construction of the lake got underway in 1964. Looking east-northeast. 43. Peaks of Otter. View of Abbott Lake with sharp top in background. Facing south. 44. Peaks of Otter. Bus shelter on top of sharp top. Facing south-southeast. 45. Peaks of Otter, Rosser Cabin. The cabin had been interpreted by the National Park Service ad Polly Woods Ordinary since its relocation from the present location of Abbott Lake. Looking north. 46. Peaks of Otter. View of the Johnson Farm, one of two historic structures left at peak of otter. The farm's interpretation focuses on the 1930's. Looking southeast. 47. Boblett's Gap Overlook. Will Boblett's Family Cemetery surrounded by a post and rail fence. View is to the southwest. 48. Axial Parkway alignment along ridge top. Note the open vistas to either side of the roadway and the wood guardrail. View is to the northeast. 49. U.S. Router 460 grade separation structure. he dual elliptical spandrel arches are the only set of arches to pass over the parkway and one of the few opportunities for parkway visitors to see the stone work of a bridge without getting off of the parkway. A unique feature of these spans is the undressed concrete on the interior facades. The view is looking north. 50. Roanoke River Bridge. This 1,028 six span, steel girder bridge, built in 1963, is the longest of its type on the parkway. this view is of its west elevation. 51. Roanoke River Parkway. View of construction of the 2.2 mile spur road in 1996, possibly the last major new construction project on the parkway. Facing south-southeast. 52. Virginia Route 666. This single span structure, built in 1962, is an example of a spandrel arch grade separation structure with a roman arch over a state secondary road. The bridge is constructed of reinforced concrete, backfilled with earth and has a thick stone veneer. Looking east-northeast at elevation. 53. Roanoke Mountain scenic loop road. View of a crescent overlook looking south-southwest. 54. Virginia Route 615/Norfolk Southern Railroad. This example of a prestressed concrete girder grade separation structure was built in 1959. View to the west. 55. Virginia Route 688 grade separation structure. This structure, built in 1960, is an example of several concrete box culverts built primarily in the late 1950's and early 1960's. They are simply plain concrete with now ornamentation. These structures were used only on lesser used secondary paved roads or dirt roads. View is looking south. 56. Metz Run Viaduct. The viaduct, built in 1960, is a prime example of a precast concrete girder structure with arched piers. View is to the west-southwest from the overlook. 57. Metz Run Viaduct. Detail of the reinforced concrete arched piers. Looking south-southeast. 58. Adney Gap. View of curvilinear. Alignment of parkway passing through agricultural lease lands. Looking south-southwest. 59. Adney Gap. View of agricultural least. View to west-southwest. 60. Adney Gap. View of curvilinear alignment of parkway passing through agricultural lease lands. 61. View of parkway following a small valley in the plateau region. Looking north. 62. Sweet Annie Hollow Trail. This is an example of a concrete box culvert faced with rusticated stone withan arch reflecting the rigid frame bridges along the parkway. Looking north-northeast. 63. Kelly School. The view of this school in its unrestored condition is an example of the many cultural resources to be found along th parkway. Looking southeast. 64. Paynes Creek Culvert. This concrete box culvert is a typical example of a concrete box culvert finished with rusticated stone. Its arches reflect the rigid frame structures. Looking west. 65. Smart view recreation area. View of one of the parkway curves with a snake fence on the left and the stone drain on the right reinforcing the roadway alignment. Looking north-northeast. 66. Smart view recreation area. View of parkway curve with the stone drain on the left and the snake fence on the right reinforcing the roadway alignment. Facing south-southwest. 67. Smart view recreation area comfort station, reflecting Appalachian Architecture, was completed by the summer of 1940 by era crews. View to the south-southeast. 68. Smart view recreation area comfort station with post-and-rail fence reflecting Appalachian culture. Facing west. 69. Smart view recreation area picnic shelter is a post-and-beam structure. Facing south-southwest. 70. Smart view recreation area entrance road. View of the snake or worm fences used to reinforce the roadway alignment. Looking north-northwest. 71. Meadow Creek Culvert. This is an example of a triple arch concrete box culvert with stone facing mimicking rigid frame structures. 72. The Virginia Route 8 grade separation structure at Tuggle Gap, built in 1954, is an example of a rigid frame structure built to pass over a secondary road. Notice the interior abutment wall has not been faced with stone. Looking to the north-northwest. 73. Rocky Knob Recreation area. View from the parkway into the rock castle gorge, facing east-southeast. 74. Rocky Knob Recreation area contact station. In the foreground is one of the Rocky Fins which is representative of the area. In the background is the contact station which opened as a gas station in September 1949. Facing northeast. 75. Rocky Knob Recreation area picnic area. View of the picnic tables set amongst the area's rock fins and the narrow service road. Looking north-northeast. 76. Rocky Knob Recreation area, Belcher's Curve. View of a parkway scenic easement. These have helped preserve the rural character of the landscape through which the parkway passes. Facing east-southeast. 77. Rocky Knob Recreation area. View of the valley from Belcher's Curve. Notice that the scenic easement allows A the boundary of the parkway to disappear creating a park that appears bigger than it is. View to west-southwest. 78. Rocky Knob Recreation area housekeeping cabins. This complex of cabins, completed in 1941,is the only lodging facility of its type on the parkway. Facing north-northeast. 79. Rocky Knob Recreation area housekeeping cabin with stone chimney mimicking the log cabins of the Southern Appalachians. Looking south. 80. Laurel Fork Creek Bridge #2. Example of a concrete slab bridge with T beams. It was built in 1937 and the wing walls were faced with stone to blend with its surroundings. Looking northeast. 81. Laurel Fork Creek Bridge #2. Detail of the wood guardrail with a concrete post. Looking northeast. 82. Laurel Fork Creek Bridge #2. Visitor's view of bridge and its stone railings and wood guide rails which provide views of the stream below. Facing north. 83. Mabry Mill. View of the mill and its dredged reflecting pond illustrating how the parkway has manipulated the landscape to make it more picturesque. Looking north-northwest from interpretative trail. 84. Mabry Mill. The varying roof lines and siding gives the mill an interesting texture, increasing its photogenic value. Looking north. 85. View of U.S. Route 58 interchange, looking northeast. 86. Round Meadow Creek Viaduct. This steel girder bridge, built in 1939, has a reinforced concrete deck and piers. It is an example of a major in-line, or straight, viaduct over a deep ravine. 87. A view of the parkway with an agricultural lease to the right. Facing south-southwest. 88. Groundhog Mountain. View of the log fire lookout constructed by the Virginia State Forest service in the summer of 1942. A buck or Yankee fence crosses the foreground with a snake fence in the background. Civilian public service employees began erecting the rail fences in April 1939. Looking north-northeast. 89. Puckett Cabin. The cabin constructed by John Puckett around 1865 is a good example of the one-room log cabin once common to the mountains. This was the home of Mrs. Oleana Puckett who died in 1939 at the age of 102. She worked as a midwife in the surrounding area, assisting in the delivery of more than 1,000 children. View looking east. 90. Virginia Route 608 grade separation structure. Built in 1966, this concrete slab structure is typical of several with scored wing walls. These were only used on secondary state roads. View to the south. 91. Virginia Route 608 grade separation structure. Detail of the scored wing walls and T beams. Looking southeast. 92. Interstate 77 grade separation structure. This 377 four span structure, built in 1974, is typical of most interstate bridges built in America in recent years, except for its curving alignment which helps control the visual experience of the parkway motorist. Facing west. 93. View of two stone-faced concrete box culverts and retaining wall along parkway. Facing east. 94. View of typical stone finish on nearly all concrete box culverts along the parkway. Facing east. 95. View of field near fisher peak. Looking south. 96. Virginia Route 89 grade separation structure. This is the only double span bridge to cross over the parkway, also crossing chestnut creek. Looking east. 97. Cumberland knob recreation area. The visitor contact center originally opened in 1941 as a combined sandwich shop, picnic area, and comfort station, the central building of the first recreation area to open looking north. 98. Cumberland knob recreation area. View of the historic chestnut timber and stone trail shelter. View to the north. 99. Big Pine Creek Bridge #1. This concrete slab bridge was built 1938. It is an example of where the stone railing continues across the bridge. Facing east. 100. Pine Creek Bridge #7. Built in 1937, This was the earliest steel girder bridge built on the parkway. Looking east-northeast. 101. Pine Creek Bridge #7. It is the only parkway bridge with steel arch piers and the only one whose piers are attached to its foundations with steel pins allowing it to flex without damaging the structure. Looking northeast. 102. Little Glade Mill Pond. One of the feature ponds along the parkway, this Mill Pond is popular for picnicking. View to the west-southwest. 103. North Carolina Route 1130 grade separation structure at Air Bellows Gap. Elevation view of concrete slab bridge built in 1937. Looking southeast. 104. North Carolina Route 1130 grade separation structure at Air Bellows Gap. Detail of the stepped wing wall. Looking southwest. 105. North Carolina Route 1130 grade separation structure at Air Bellows Gap. View showing the access road from the parkway. 106. Doughton Park Recreation Area concession building. Interior view of the coffee shop built in 1948. Facing west. 107. Doughton Park Recreation Area Lodge. Opened in 1949, this was the first lodge to open on the parkway. View looking north across the meadows. 108. Doughton Park Recreation Area Comfort Station. Instead of trying to hide this building, it was decided to let it be seen. A salt box design reflecting a mountain building was chosen, it had a sloping split shingle roof matching the hill side with a front porch placed on the lower side. 109. Doughton Park Recreation Area. View of alligator back and the parkway seen from bluff mountain. Looking west. 110. Doughton Park Recreation Area Trail Shelter likely built in late 1930's. Looking south. 111. Doughton Park Recreation Area. View of parkway with the road crossing alligator back. Facing southeast. 112. Doughton Park Recreation Area. View of road cut at ice cliffs. Looking east-northeast. 113. Doughton Park Recreation Area. Distant view of road cut, roadway, and stone railing at ice cliffs. Looking northeast. 114. Doughton Park Recreation Area. View of Laurel Spring Valley in distance, alligator back, and overlook in foreground. Looking west. 115. Doughton Park Recreation Area. View of roadway alignment around alligator back and parking overlook in foreground. 116. Doughton Park Recreation Area. View of the chestnut post-and-rail fences and meadows for which the area is remembered. 117. Laurel Fork Viaduct. Elevation view of this 545 1939 steel girder viaduct. Example of structure with plain reinforced concrete arches. Looking northwest. 118. Laurel Fork Viaduct. View of the curving alignment of viaduct deck with its concrete railings. Looking east. 119. View of Mount Jefferson from Mount Jefferson Overlook looking north. 120. E.B. Jeffress Recreation Area. View of stone-walled pedestrian overlook at the cascades, a waterfall on falls creek. Looking southwest. 121. E.B. Jeffress Recreational Area. View of the Cool Springs Baptist Church on the left and the Jessie Brown Cabin on the foreground. The church when acquired by the Park Service was being used as a barn, probably its most common function. Looking south-southwest. 122. Goshen Creek Viaduct. This steel girder viaduct, built in 1949, is the only viaduct with solid, stone-faced, concrete reinforced piers. View facing north-northeast. 123. Goshen Creek Viaduct. View showing the curvilinear alignment of the viaduct, its steel railings, and stone faced abutments. Looking northeast. 124. Moses H. Cone Memorial Park. View of the flat top manor porch, carriage road, and pasture. View looking south-southwest. 125. Moses H. Cone Memorial Park. View of carriage trail and flat top mountain from cone cemetery. Looking north-northeast. 126. Moses H. Cone Memorial Park. View of barbed wire fence along carriage trail with a concrete box culvert for the carriage trail in the background. It is the only culvert on the parkway with stone veneer finished with a roman arch. It was constructed in 1960. Looking south-southeast. 127. Moses H. Cone Memorial Park. View of the flat top manor from the bass lake carriage road. Looking north-northwest. 128. Moses H. Cone Memorial Park. View of the stone faced bridge on the bass lake carriage trail. Facing west. 129. Julian Price Memorial Park. Price Lake Dam. A concrete slab bridge crosses the top of the dam impounding a forty-seven acre lake. Looking west. 130. Julian Price Memorial Park. Forty-seven acre Julian Price Lake created by an impoundment. Looking west. 131. Great Wall of China. This is a large stone retaining wall built to support the parkway around rough ridge on Grandfather Mountain. Linn Cove viaduct visible in the distance. Looking west-northeast. 132. View of Great Wall of China retaining wall and unnamed viaduct on Grandfather Mountain. Viaduct completed in 1987. Looking northwest. 133. View of rock cut at base of rough ridge and roadway crossing unnamed viaduct on Grandfather Mountain with the Great Wall of China supporting the curve in the distance. Looking southeast. 134. Wilson Creek Bridge #3. Part of this bridge is poured directly on rock slide and part a concrete box girder. Looking west-southwest. 135. Wilson Creek Bridge #3. View underneath concrete box girder section of bridge. Looking northeast. 136. Linn Cove Viaduct. This is the first precast concrete segmental viaduct to be built with the progressive method in the United States. It contains nearly every type of highway geometry within its length. With its super elevation of up to ten degrees and its tight horizontal and spiral curves, it was the most complicated bridge of its type built to that time looking south-southwest. 137. Linn Cove Viaduct. Placement of its foundations were determined by the location of the numerous boulders its built around. Looking south-southwest. 138. Linn Cove Viaduct. View of the Tanawha trail and underneath of the viaduct. Shape of the piers was designed to provide aesthetic sense of light and shadow. Looking north-northeast. 139. Linn Cove Viaduct. Underneath view of the viaduct showing placement of piers amongst Grandfather Mountain's boulders. Looking north. 140. Linn Cove contact station. Center opened in 1987 to provide information about the Linn Cove viaduct. Looking south-southeast. 141. View of Grandfather Mountain in the distance with cows on an agricultural lease in the foreground. 142. North Carolina route 181 grade separation structure. This single span, reinforced concrete, elliptical, spandrel arch structure, built in 1959, is on a slight skew as it passes over the parkway accounting for its wide span of 80. It is one of the few structures to pass over the parkway. This view of the elevation is to the north. 143. North Carolina route 181 grade separation structure. Detail of the arch stones. View is east-southeast. 144. Camp Creek Bridge. View of the road deck showing the stone-faced guard rails and the grass shoulders continuing across the bridge. Looking east-southeast. 145. Camp Creek Bridge. This is a Roman spandrel arch bridge built in 1939. View shows the stone arch stones and the stone facing on the headwall and wing wall. Looking north-northwest. 146. Linville Falls Contact Station. This is an example of a new contact station with comfort station. It was built in 1984. Looking south. 147. Linville Falls Recreation Area. View of Linville Falls from castle view looking northwest. 148. Linville Falls Recreation Area. View of Linville Falls from Erwin's view looking west. 149. Linville Falls Recreation Area. The 309 Linville River Bridge is the parkway's largest stone-faced bridge. This triple span bridge, built in 1940, is an example of a spandrel arch bridge with Roman arches. Looking south. 150. Linville Falls Recreation Area. The Linville River Bridge is the only span to have the intradii or underside of the arches faced in stone. Looking south-southwest. 151. Linville Falls Recreation Area. Detail of the diamond shaped cutwaters of the Linville River Bridge. Looking south. 152. Linville River Recreation Area. View of the deck, sidewalks, and stone guardrails of the Linville River Bridge looking southwest. 153. View of culvert running under the U.S. Route 221 interchange looking southwest. 154. View of the U.S. Route 221 grade separation structure and adjacent culvert looking southeast. This rigid frame span was built in 1940. 155. Humpback Mountain Viaduct. This steel girder viaduct, built in 1940, has the unusual feature os solid concrete railings. View shows the steel piers built upon a very steep slope. Looking southwest. 156. Humpback Mountain Viaduct. View shows the stone faced abutment. Due to the skew of the abutment, it doubles as a foundation for one of the piers. Looking south. 157. View of Hefner Overlook looking east. 158. View of the North Carolina Minerals Museum. 159. View of the Black Mountains and Mount Mitchell looking south-southwest. 160. View of the Black Mountains and Mount Mitchell looking southwest. 161. North Carolina Route 80 grade separation structure. The structure at Buck Creek Gap, built in 1942, has a clear span of 139. Both the roadway running atop and under the structure have a curving alignment. 162. Twin Tunnels. Close up view of south portal on north tunnel. This tunnel is one of the few left with a natural rock face. Facing north. 163. Twin Tunnels. View of the south portal of the north tunnel and the ridge through which it passes. Facing north. 164. Twin Tunnels. View of the south portal of the north tunnel from inside the finished north portal of the south tunnel looking north. 165. Big Laurel Mountain Viaduct. This steel girder viaduct was built in 1976. Since it is not visible from other sections of the parkway, the stone facing on the railing does not cover the outside of the railing. Looking south. 166. Big Laurel Mountain Viaduct. View of the steep slope upon which the steel pier is built. The construction of this viaduct eliminated either a large scar of fill, helping to preserve the mountainside. Facing north. 167. Craggy Pinnacle Tunnel. View of the east portal and the stone road drain. The finished portal actually extend beyond the end of the tunnel. Facing west-southwest. 168. Craggy Gardens Visitor Center. View of the rock retaining wall outside the women's restroom to the northeast. 169. View of the Craggy Gardens Visitor Center, opened in 1952, Craggy Gardens overlook and Craggy Pinnacle in the background to the north. 170. View of large trail shelter built for the United States Forest Service by the Civilian Conservation Corps in 1938 on Craggy Knob. Facing northwest. 171. View of the Craggy Flats Tunnel, roadway retaining wall, and road cut facing south-southwest. 172. View of the Craggy Flats Tunnel with a guardrail and road cut visible in the foreground. Facing south. 173. Craggy Flats Tunnel. Detail of the stone facing on the north portal. Looking southwest. 174. View of the Spur Road to the Craggy Gardens picnic area. Facing west. 175. View of the Pinnacle Lake Over look. Example of location where designers placed an overlook on the outside of a curve instead of leaving the remnants of a rock cut visible. View to the south. 176. U.S. Route 70 grade separation structure. This single-span structure, built in 1964, is an example of the parkway crossing over a four-lane undivided highway. An elliptical spandrel arch was used to allow for more vertical clearance over the roadway. Facing east-southeast. 177. U.S. Route 70 grade separation structure. Detail of the stone facing. Notice it is thicker at the base than at the top. Facing north-northeast. 178. Swannanoa River Bridge. This concrete box girder bridge, built in 1966, crosses both the Swannanoa River, Norfolk and Southern Railroad, and interstate 40. Bridge is significant for its s-shape. View to the south. 179. Interstate Route 26 Viaduct. This steel girder viaduct, built in 1966, is typical of many highway structures except for the height of its piers. Looking south-southeast. 180. French Broad River Bridge. This 10-span, 925 concrete box girder bridge, built in 1967, also crosses North Carolina route 191. Looking north-northeast. 181. French Broad River Bridge. This bridge is straight except for to small curves at its southern approach. Looking northeast. 182. Mount Pisgah Inn. This had been the site of a concessionaires since 1919. The first section of the present inn was completed in 1965. Looking west-southwest. 183. View of the mountain to sea trail as it passes through Cherry Cove. Looking south. 184. View of the parkway alignment. Facing south. 185. View of the east fork overlook and its massive rock cut. Looking northwest. 186. Closeup view of rock cut at east fork overlook. Looking northwest. 187. View of the popular graveyard fields and the shining rock wilderness in the background. This is a popular access point to graveyard fields in the shining rock wilderness and the upper and lower falls of the east fork. Facing north-northwest. 188. View of roadway curving through a rock cut at split rocks looking west-southwest. 189. Devil's Courthouse Overlook. View of the parking area from the lookout at the top of Devil's Courthouse looking to the northwest. 190. Devil's Courthouse Overlook. View to the south-southwest from the lookout at the top of Devil's Courthouse. 191. View of the roadway passing around a rock face. Looking north. 192. View of the Richland Balsam Mountain Overlook. This is the highest elevation, 6,047, on the Blue Ridge Parkway. Looking west-northwest. 193. View from the Scott Creek Overlook to the west-northwest. 194. Waterrock Knob Overlook. View of the comfort station in 1996 before being enclosed during renovations. This structure was originally built in 1967. Facing north-northwest. 195. View of the Waterrock Knob Overlook parking area from the Waterrock Knob Trail looking southwest. 196. View of road paving equipment at thunder struck ridge overlook. Facing south. 197. View of tourist attractions off the parkway at Soco Gap overlooking Maggie Valley. Facing west-northwest. 198. View of entry sign at Soco Gap. This first sign was first designed in 1949. Facing east-northeast. 199. Heintooga Spur Road, view from the mile high overlook looking north-northwest. 200. Heintooga Spur Road, view of the masonic marker built with contributions from lodges of every state. Looking southwest. 201. Heintooga Spur Road, view of road cuts along roadway. Looking south. 202. Heintooga Spur Road, view of comfort station. Looking south. 203. Lickstone Ridge Tunnel. All but three of the tunnel have minimum height of 13, which accommodates most large recreational vehicles. This tunnel has the lowest clearance at 11-3. 204. View of the Thomas Divide overlook and its framed view looking to the northwest. 205. View of the Raven Fork Overlook with its unusual double crescent design. Looking southwest. 206. Big Witch Road grade separation structure. This concrete box culvert, built in 1950, is unusual in that the culvert's concrete bottom extends beyond the structure to the ends of its perpendicular wing walls. Facing northeast. 207. Oconaluffee River Bridge is the southern terminus of the Blue Ride Parkway. It is a concrete girder bridge completed in 1957. It is the only concrete girder bridge with stone-faced piers. Looking east-southeast. 208. Several of these checking stations, erected for fee-collection purposes but never authorized to operate as such, were constructed on the parkway in the 1950's. They provided information on area accommodations. Locations included Rockfish Valley, Adney Gap, north and south of Roanoke, Asheville near Biltmore, and by the Oconaluftee River. All were removed by the 1980's, after cars ran into two structures and demolished them. The islands where these were located are now used for Pillar of Truth information displays. 209. Parkway ranger force with patrol vehicles. 210. View of the Blue Ridge Parkway in Virginia. 211. View of the Blue Ridge Parkway in Virginia. 212. View of the Blue Ridge Parkway in Virginia. 213. View of grade separation structure at rockfish gap with the Swannanoa arch visible to the right. 214. View of grade separation structure at Irish Gap over Virginia Route 605. This single span structure, built in 1950, is a good example of a rigid-frame grade separation over a secondary state road. It was constructed of reinforced concrete with a 24 to 48 thick stone veneer. 215. View of Purgatory Mountain from the parkway. 216. Construction of the Back Creek Bridge over Back Creek and Virginia Route 613. This is a good example of a precast concrete girder bridge. Note the fallen beam at the far end. 217. View of the parkway at Kelly Curve before it was paved and the shoulders seeded. 218. Traditional farming practices being continued beside the parkway. 219. Model of stone masonry for a double box culvert. 220. View of the double concrete box culvert at Payne Creek. Note that the stone facing is very similar to the model in photo NC-42-220. This is an example of a type 2 headwall. 221. View entering smart view. Note the unique snake rail fence. The pond was a manipulated landscape element. 222. View of the Mabry Grist and saw mill before the NPS dredged the pond and razed the Mabry House in 1947, replacing it with the Matthews Cabin in 1956-57. 223. Round Meadow Viaduct under construction. 224. Round Meadow Viaduct completed. 225. View of the the Fences Gunboard at Groundhog Mountain Overlook. 226. Early construction on section 2-A-1. This was the site of the first construction on the Blue Ride Parkway. 227. Big Pine Creek Bridge #6, built in 1937, with its old wooden railings. 228. Big Pine Creek Bridge #7 cost approximately 45,000 to complete. 229. Parkway Road cut near Devil's Garden. 230. CCC Camp NP-21 was established at the Bluffs (Doughton Park) located on what is now the Doughton Park Maintenance Area. It opened September 1, 1938 and was abandoned July 17, 1942. Crews were assigned to the first landscape development on the parkway in the Cumberland Knob Area. This work entailed removal of debris and downed wood, slope flattening and rounding, seeding shoulders and planting along the road, and improvement of fields and forest to the side of the roadway. 231. CCC crews loading a large tree for transplanting. 232. View of the Doughton Park area gas station and sandwich shop. 233. View of picnickers at picnic area in Doughton Park. 234. View showing a stone wall and snake fence reinforcing the parkway's curvilinear alignment. View from station 150, section 2-C. 235. View of the parkway from station 136, section 2-C. 236. Reconnaissance report photograph, used in the early 1930's of North Carolina landscape before determination of the roadway alignment. Stanley Abbott realized that maps and plan drawings would mean little to his supervisors who were unfamiliar with the region and chose photographs to communicate route alternatives. On the photo would be a dashed white line to indicate the proposed route. Abbott's written reports included a written description of the region and a suggestion of the acreages necessary to create the parkway, serving as an initiation to field trips with BPR engineers and interior and NPS officials. 237. Original grade separation on the Moses Cone Estate for a carriage trial crossing over the Yonahlossee Trail, now designated U.S. 221. Publicity photo of the Linville River Bridge. Publicity photo of the Linville River Bridge. 238. Publicity photo of the Linville River Bridge. Publicity photo of the Linville River Bridge. 239. Grade separation structure over North Carolina Route 80 at Buck Creek Gap. 240. South Portal of the rough ridge tunnel, excavated 1936. 241. South end of Craggy Flats Tunnel showing construction of portal. 242. Tunnel with lining before construction of portal. 243. Construction of tunnel portal in progress. Note the metal and timber bracing for the tunnel lining still in place. 244. Humpback Rocks Visitor Center. View of the Mountain Farm Exhibit located on the general site of the Old Charlie Carter Farm. To the left is the CA. 1890 single-crib log William Lawless Billy Ramsey cabin moved from below Robinson Gap and to the right is a chicken house relocated from the John C. Clarke place about a mile north of Irish Gap. View faces north. 245. Rocky Mountain Viaduct. This steel girder viaduct was built in 1942. All of the reinforced concrete was faced with a rusticated stone. It is the only structure on the parkway with stone faced arched piers. The view is facing east. 246. View showing the curvilinear alignment of the parkway on a ridge. Looking northeast. 247. Axial Parkway alignment along ridge top. Note the open vistas to either side of the roadway. These are maintained through vegetation management. The wood guide rail is a primary safety feature. View is to the northeast. 248. Smart view Recreation Area. View of one of the parkway curves with a snake fence on the left and a stone drain on the right reinforcing the roadway alignment. Looking north-northeast. 249. Smart View Recreation Area. View of parkway curve with the stone drain on the left and the snake fence on the right reinforcing the roadway alignment. Facing south-southwest. 250. Church on morning dew lane next to parkway. Looking southwest. 251. Rocky Knob Recreation Area contact station. In the foreground S one of the rock fins which is representative of the area. In the background is the contact station which opened as a gas station in September 1949. Facing northwest. 252. Mabry Mill. View of the mill and the NPS dredged reflecting pond which illustrates how the parkway has manipulated the landscape to make it more picturesque. Looking north-northwest from interpretative trail. 253. Mabry Mill. The varying roof lines and siding gives the mill an interesting texture, increasing its photogenic value. Looking north. 254. Doughton Park. View of the Martin Brinegar cabin which was restored for interpretative purposed in 1941 with the preparation of measured drawings for the Historic American Buildings Survey. The actual restoration was carried out by WPA forces. The grounds around the cabin were treated as an interpretative landscape rather than a historic restoration. This one of two sites along the parkway where an individual homestead was relatively intact when it was obtained and kept as an interpretative display. 255. View looking north of Mount Jefferson from Mount Jefferson overlook. 256. Linn Cove Viaduct. This is the first precast concrete segmental concrete segmental viaduct to be built with the progressive method in the United States. It contains nearly every type of highway construction within its length. With is super elevation of up to ten degrees and its tight horizontal and spiral curves, it was the most complicated bridge of its type built to that time. Looking south-southwest. 257. North Carolina Route 181 grade separation structure is a single-span, reinforced concrete, elliptical spandrel arch structure built in 1959, it is on a slight skew as it passes over the parkway accounting for its wide span of 80. It is one of the few structures to pass over the parkway. This view is to the north. 258. View of wildflowers along the parkway. 259. View of the stone curbing used at the Hefner Overlook. This is a common feature at all overlooks on the parkway. All stone on the parkway, except for the Linn Cove Viaduct was quarried from within fifty miles of where it was used. Looking north. 260. View of the Pinnacle Lake Overlook. Example of location where designers placed an overlook on the outside of a curve instead of leaving the remnants of a rock cut visible. View to the south.