History

Human history in the Shenandoah National Park region stretches back 8,000 years.

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History Details

Shenandoah's first human settlers traveled through the region seasonally to gather nuts and berries, to hunt, and to find stone used to fashion tools. Thousands of years later, European trappers and traders passed through the area; homesteaders began constructing homes and settlements in the area in the late 18th century. Over the next two centuries settlers logged the forest, mined the mountains, established orchards in the lowlands, and began developing vacation resorts in the present-day park lands. In 1935, Shenandoah National Park was officially recognized, and many of the local residents were gradually relocated outside park lands. The Civilian Conservation Corps, developed under President Franklin D. Roosevelt, was essential in creating many of the park's visitor facilities, including bridges, picnic areas, and the iconic Skyline Drive. Since the park's inception, the land that had for so long been altered by mankind has slowly turned back to its natural state.

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