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Articles From March/April 2026

Kevin Nealon

From the Emeritus: Open Note to Kevin Nealon

‘Take a hike,’ indeed!
A Virginia Historical Marker stands at the entrance to Green Pastures. Green Pastures’ picnic area was build by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the late 1930s.

Green Pastures Reborn

When it officially opened in 1940 — in the depths of the Jim Crow era — Green Pastures was likely the first U.S. Forest Service recreation area in the nation constructed for African Americans.
Chimney Tops Trail in Great Smoky Mountains National Park rewards a steep climb with exceptional mountain views. Inset: Gatlinburg, Tennessee’s Chimneys Picnic Area sits beside the West Prong of the Little Pigeon RIver.

11 Picnics with a View

These bucket-list destinations are perfect spots to kick back, enjoy a delightful meal and take in the great outdoors.
Vernon and Toni Wright turn grains grown on their family farm into freshly distilled spirits.

Virginia Century Farm Home to New Distillery

For nearly 200 years, Vernon and Toni Wright’s family has raised corn, cattle and quarter horses at Hill High.
Spring wildflowers bloom early in the New River Gorge of West Virginia. From the photographer: “Bloodroot is one of the first to blossom, fittingly coming in around the first day of spring. The reddish sap that exudes from all parts of the plant — especially the root — when cut is what gives bloodroot its common name.”

Scenes of Spring: A Photo Essay

Our contributing photographers reveal the fresh sights and subtle joys of the season.
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Behind Blue Ridge Country

Even More Sweet Virginia Breezes

Casually cruising to Claytor Lake in southwest Virginia, I felt like I had come home – back to where it

April 12, 2018
This photos of Cornelia Vanderbilt Cecil is undated, but was likely taken around the time of her 1924 marriage to John Cecil.
Behind Blue Ridge Country

Your Favorite Stories of 2017

From “The Strange Post-Biltmore Life of Cornelia Vanderbilt,” to the “Entire Mountain Town that Was Sold at Auction,” revisit our

October 20, 2017

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