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CURRENT Features

Wows and Donations from “Fantastic” Christmas Shows

The Glovers dazzle drive-through visitors with their annual Christmas Wonderlands.

The Stone Cutter’s Tools: A CCCer at Work in the ‘30s

Simple tools and simple times make for poignant memories on a drive along the Blue Ridge Parkway.

Photo Essay: 25th Annual Calendars Celebrate Iconic Parks

Johnson City, Tennessee’s J. Scott Graham has been capturing the beauty of the Smokies and the Blue Ridge Parkway with 25 years of wall calendars.

The Kentucky River Giant: Martin Van Buren Bates Claimed 7′ 11″

The native of Kona, Kentucky, near Whitesburg in Letcher County, became an international circus star, especially after his marriage in 1871 to a woman even taller than he was.

Reader Photos: Dogs in the Mountains

Our dog-loving readers sent us a bounty of images of their pups a few months back. Here’s the concluding set of those shots (the first ones were in the March/April ‘20 issue). Our thanks to all who submitted.

Current Issue

From left to right: Keith Glover, Mikki Glover Hale and Josh Glover. Collectively, they may well be the first family of outdoor Christmas displays.

Wows and Donations from “Fantastic” Christmas Shows

The Glovers dazzle drive-through visitors with their annual Christmas Wonderlands.
Condia Lynch was a prim soldier in World War I; thus by the time of his Civilian Conservation Corps service in the 1930s, he was older than most of the workers in the program.

The Stone Cutter’s Tools: A CCCer at Work in the ‘30s

Simple tools and simple times make for poignant memories on a drive along the Blue Ridge Parkway.
April along the parkway. Historic structures at E.B. Jeffress Park (Milepost 272.5) include a springhouse, Cool Springs Baptist Church and this one, the Jesse Brown Cabin. E.B. Jeffress was, in 1934, chairman of the North Carolina Highway Commission, and in that role helped persuade the federal government to place the Blue Ridge Parkway on the route it follows today.

Photo Essay: 25th Annual Calendars Celebrate Iconic Parks

Johnson City, Tennessee’s J. Scott Graham has been capturing the beauty of the Smokies and the Blue Ridge Parkway with 25 years of wall calendars.
This photo of Martin and Anna Bates is dated June 17, 1871, the day they were married.

The Kentucky River Giant: Martin Van Buren Bates Claimed 7′ 11″

The native of Kona, Kentucky, near Whitesburg in Letcher County, became an international circus star, especially after his marriage in 1871 to a woman even taller than he was.
Carol Goznkar’s Willow was rescued from an East Tennessee shelter, and soon shared her owners’ love for the outdoors and the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains.

Reader Photos: Dogs in the Mountains

Our dog-loving readers sent us a bounty of images of their pups a few months back. Here’s the concluding set of those shots (the first ones were in the March/April ‘20 issue). Our thanks to all who submitted.
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Departments

Smith Mountain Lake Virginia is a hidden gem within the Blue Ridge Mountains. This beautiful area features boating, sailing, hiking, shopping, fishing, and much more.
From The Editor

Sarah Smiles: The Lake Effect

Growing up, many of my weekends were spent at my late step-grandmother’s house on Smith Mountain Lake in Virginia.

June 26, 2026

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