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Blue Ridge Parkway Accepts Centennial Challenge To Revive Historic Sites

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By NPT Staff - November 28th, 2017

Dating to 1858, the Sharp Top Shelter has long served as a way station for Blue Ridge Mountains travelers looking to get out of the weather. Though the years, weather, and vandals have damaged the structure, the Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation has raised thousands of dollars to beautifully restore it/Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation

The tales of mountain heritage will live on at four historical sites along the Blue Ridge Parkway thanks to the Centennial Challenge grant program put in place by Congress and the Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation’s Community of Stewards.

This year, the program awarded funding for high-priority rehab projects at Humpback Rocks Farm, Sharp Top Shelter, Mabry Mill and Groundhog Mountain, and Moses H. Cone Memorial Park. These grants must be matched by private financial support, and the Foundation is working to raise $287,000 to lock in the funding to repair historic structures and features at these stops in North Carolina and Virginia.

“We are proud to work with the National Park Service for the third straight year to make the most of this matching opportunity,” said Carolyn Ward, CEO of the Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation. “Thanks to donors and the Centennial Challenge program, we’ve seen many large projects move toward completion.”

Ramsey Cabin and additional historic structures at Humpback Rocks Farm, milepost 5.8 on the Blue Ridge Parkway, are slated for repairs / Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation

Each of these specially selected sites has a story to tell about the Blue Ridge Mountains.

* Peeking inside the one-room log cabin at Humpback Rocks Farm, visitors learn about the tough but rewarding life that pioneers carved out of the Blue Ridge.

* Standing inside Sharp Top Shelter at Peaks of Otter, they can imagine the adventurous spirit of those who chose to trek to the summit long before a road provided access to the spectacular 360-degree view.

* Watching the waterwheel turn at Mabry Mill, they can recall that a couple, Ed and Lizzie Mabry, counted on the simple mechanics to earn their living and serve nearby farmers.

* Trekking past the stonewalls along the carriage trails at the Cone Estate, hikers experience the hospitality of Moses H. Cone himself, who insisted visitors were welcome to enjoy the magnificent grounds of his country retreat. The Foundation is proud to play a part to ensure these experiences are not lost. For more information and to give, visit www.brpfoundation.org/your-gifts-work.

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