Since time is a factor I turned South on Friday after traveling only a 1/3 of the 106 mile Skyline Drive in Shenandoah NP. On the way back down I drove I-81 It sort of Parallels the Parkway except its straight and you can drive 70mph I needed to make up some mileage...but I did stop at one attraction. I've been here before with my Mom many years ago..now its all touristy and crowded but I stopped because back when we visited in the late 70's I didn't get any decent photos of it...I think I had one of those 126 drop in film cameras at that time--
Its billed as one of the 7 wonders, funny how there must be 1,000's of 7 wonders?
but in the ticket and gift shop area I found two of these!
The penny Collector machine! I turned 2 this time--
The Natural Bridge is a wonder for sure,,,215 ft high 100 ft wide!
Painting by David Johnson c-1860
it was a cavern with an underground river-- years of erosion collapsed the cavern walls and the bridge remains. It was purchased by Thomas Jefferson from King George III and he planned to make a tourist attraction of it!
painting by Fredirck Edwin Church c-1852
Later he sold it to the a WOLTZ family and if you look closely you can see Woltz family names carved in the rock 1883...you can also see G.W. for this landmark was surveyed by none other than George Washington himself!!
This is his initials carved in the rock face.
along with the bridge there is a replica of a Mohican Village, it was the Mohicans who first settled the Bridge area..artifacts have been found on this site. This hut is covered with bark!
some pelts they had around...and Casey went for the butt sniff..ugh.
There is a small but scenic waterfall upstream from the bridge...
We enjoyed it although I think its pricey @ $18...there is a discount if your AARP, AAA etc...$2.20 and there is a free shuttle ride if you want to avoid the 138 steps back up.. Almost everyone along the walk had been introduced to Casey so when we asked if we could ride the shuttle back up the driver asked the other riders if we could ride... they all said, "YES come on in Casey"...no one knew my name I was just the lady who was with Casey! ....lol.
T.B.C.
PEACE
Eleanor Roosevelt: You must do the thing you think you can not.
