My photographs from the day seen above.
"The Natural Bridge was a sacred site of the Native American Monacan tribe, who believed it to be the site of a major victory over pursuing Powhatans centuries before the arrival of whites in Virginia.
Some believe George Washington came to the site in 1750 as a young surveyor on behalf of Thomas Fairfax, 6th Lord Fairfax of Cameron.
To support claims that Washington surveyed the area, some tour guides
claim the initials "G.W." on the wall of the bridge, 23 ft. up, were
carved by the future president. Legend also has it that George
Washington threw a rock from the bottom of Cedar Creek over the bridge.
In 1927, a large stone was found, also engraved "G.W." and bearing a
surveyor's cross, which historians accepted as proof that he indeed
surveyed the bridge.
Thomas Jefferson purchased 157 acres (635,000 m²) of land including the Natural Bridge from King George III
of England for 20 shillings in 1774. He called it "the most Sublime of
nature's works". Jefferson built a two-room log cabin, with one room
reserved for guests, beginning its use as a retreat. While President, in
1802, he surveyed the place with his own hands. It has been said that
Jefferson was able to throw a stone from the ground below the bridge to
the top. Many famous guests stayed here, including John Marshall, James Monroe, Henry Clay, Sam Houston, and Martin Van Buren.
Natural Bridge was one of the wonders of the new world that Europeans visited during the 18th and 19th centuries.
Vacationing guests from all over the world took day trips from Natural
Bridge on horseback or horse drawn carriages to explore the countryside.
In 1833, a new owner erected the Forest Inn to accommodate the
increasing number of people. The bridge had considerable notoriety
during the 19th century. Herman Melville alluded to the bridge in describing Moby-Dick:
"But soon the fore part of him slowly rose from the water; for an
instant his whole marbleized body formed a high arch, like Virginia's
Natural Bridge..." William Cullen Bryant, another American literary figure, said that Natural Bridge and Niagara Falls were the two most remarkable features of North America. During the 1880s Natural Bridge was a resort owned by Colonel Henry Parsons.
In 1927 a nocturnal lighting display of the arch and gorge was designed by Samuel Hibben and Phinehas V. Stephens, illuminating engineers with the Westinghouse Company.
The display was formally switched on by President Calvin Coolidge in a
1927 inaugural ceremony. The original display has since been replaced
with a sound and light show depicting the seven days of the Creation as
described in Genesis."
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
What to Wear on a Short Day Nature trip : )
Pink top, $105 / Long coat / Denim shorts, $76 / Long wool socks, $32 / Marc by Marc Jacobs marc jacobs boots / Knapsack bag / DANNIJO brass jewelry, $435 / Ray-Ban eyewear, $135 / Klean Kanteen Reflect Stainless Steel 27 Ounce Water Bottle With...
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