History

 

Jolley, Harley E. The Blue Ridge Parkway. Knoxville : The University of Tennessee Press, 1969
NCC C917.5N53b

This work provides one of the most thorough accounts of the creation of the Parkway. It is one of the few sources cited that is not recreational in nature; however, it is excellent reading if you want a detailed account of the road's history. Contains several black and white photos and extensive footnotes.

 

Jolley, Harley E. and George Humphries, photographer. Along the Blue Ridge Parkway. Englewood, CO : Westcliffe, 1997.

Amazon.com editorial review: "Topping mountain crests, dipping into river valleys, and rambling through farmlands and national forests, the Blue Ridge Parkway winds 470 miles through Virginia and North Carolina--the heart of Southern Appalachia. Images by noted nature photographer George Humphries show the splendor of the Blue Ridge Parkway and the text tells the story of the Parkway and the Southern Appalachians, a region rich in music, crafts, and human and natural history."

 

Buxton, Barry M. and Steven M. Beatty, eds. Blue Ridge Parkway, Agent of Transition. Proceedings of the Blue Ridge Parkway Golden Anniversary Conference. Boone : Appalachian Consortium Press, 1986.
NCC C917.5B658b

A compendium of papers arranged in sections such as "Historical," "Literary and Folk Culture," and "Student Essays." Some of the information, such as that in "Future Initiatives of the NPS," is a bit dated, but it still remains an excellent resource for historical information and scholarly essays such as "Mabry Mill as Metaphor."

 

Clark, David, ed. Blue Ridge Facts and Legends. Charlotte, NC : Clark Publishing Company, 1955
NCC Cp971.05 C59b

This source serves as a very interesting historical artifact from the 1950's boom of automobile popularity and motorist culture. The compilation of stories such as "Fairy Stone Park" and "Superstitions of the Mountains" is interspersed with pictures and (now) vintage ads, posters and promotions from the time of publication. A fun read, but one caveat: disregard the factual information! The Parkway was not yet completed when the book was published, so information on mileage and things of that nature is no longer correct.

 

Parkway History
http://www.nps.gov/blri/parkway.htm

A Brief overview of the conception and construction of the Parkway, provided by the National Park Service. Follow the "Things Historical" link at the bottom of the page to lean more about Appalachian culture.

 

NCNatural's Blue Ridge Parkway Travel Guide - Parkway History
http://ncnatural.com/Parkway/BRP-History.html

Another good web resource that provides some basic facts about the Parkway and its creators. One really nice feature of this site is that it also includes black and white snapshots of the construction process, which really compliment the text. Don't miss the links at the bottom, which lead to more in-depth biographies of some key people and an interesting project entitled "A Landscape of the New Deal, the Blue Ridge Parkway," among others.