A limestone arch that forms a natural bridge 215 feet above Cedar Creek in Virginia’s Rockbridge County will be recognized as an Affiliated Area of the National Park Service.
The site, which was designated Natural Bridge State Park on Saturday, will be managed by Virginia State Parks. U.S. Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell noted the geologic and historic significant of the arch when recognizing it as an Affiliated Area.
First purchased by Thomas Jefferson from King George III of England in 1774, Natural Bridge has captivated visitors for hundreds of years. The limestone arch rises 215 feet above Cedar Creek and is located within a hilly, wooded landscape with hiking trails and scenic vistas. It was designated as a national historic landmark in 1998.
“Growing up near and working at Natural Bridge in my early years may be the true source of my 40 years of commitment to the protection and enjoyment of our national parks,” said National Park Service Director Jonathan B. Jarvis. “It is with great pride that it is now part of the Virginia State Park System and an Affiliated Area of the National Park Service.”
Affiliated Areas are neither owned nor administered by the federal government, but they preserve important segments of the nation’s heritage. Some of these have been recognized by Acts of Congress, others have been designated national historic sites by the Secretary of the Interior under authority of the Historic Sites Act of 1935.The National Park Service administers 22 national park sites in Virginia.
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