History

A billion years ago, molten rock flowed through the earth's crust, cooled, fractured and formed the majestic granite peaks and sylvan hollows we know today as the Blue Ridge Mountains.

Some 8,000-9,000 years ago, Native Americans seasonally visited the area now known as Shenandoah National Park to hunt and gather food and source stone for tools and weapons.

North Entrance First Car to Pay - Shenandoah National Park

Skyline Drive Legacy

Europeans arrived less than 300 years ago. First came hunters and trappers, soon followed by pioneers who led an era of homesteading development.  Resources were mined and milled, crops were planted and Shenandoah communities formed.  
Historic Car at Overlook - Shenandoah National ParkCannon blasts of the U.S. Civil War echoed through Virginia and the Shenandoah Valley in the 1860s.  As America’s industrial and urban movement advanced, natural places like Shenandoah attracted vacationers seeking refuge and recreation.  Yes, the urge to “unplug” and reconnect with nature is not a 21st century invention!
In the early 20th century, America’s national park system was born and Shenandoah National Park was established in 1935. Skyline Drive and the core of the park were completed by the beginning of WWII.  In 1976, Congress declared almost half of the park as protected wilderness.
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