The Blue Ridge Parkway Turns 75!
The Blue Ridge Parkway celebrates 75 years in 2010. Plan a day-trip from the Lakehouseto nearby Gatlinburg or Pigeon Forge, Tennessee and experience a scenic, commercial-free drive reminiscent of times gone by.
Some facts to consider about the 469-mile ribbon of scenic roadway that snakes through Virginia in North Carolina include: 875,000,000 visitors have traveled the Blue Ridge Parkway over its 75 year history. All that traffic adds up to big bucks in tourism revenue – $342,500,000 for both states in 2008. Aside from the sheer volume of traffic the Parkway brings to the mountains, it also encourages town hopping – a critical ingredient for the region to realize its tourism potential. The Parkway’s 100 cultural sites foster an image of bygone days with old mills, one-room schools, log cabins and historic estates scattered along its route.
The Parkway was the first paved north-to-south road through the Southern Appalachian Mountains. Its 81,000 acres of Park land impact more than 29 counties, dozens of towns and more than 4,000 adjacent landowners. The Parkway has a $2,300,000,000 economic impact in North Carolina and Virginia. It is responsible for 27,000 jobs and $508,000,000 in payroll in North Carolina.
Tags: Blue Ridge Parkway, Gatlinburg, Pigeon Forge