The idea for a scenic parkway through the Blue Ridge Mountains was initially proposed by landscape architect Stanley Abbott in 1920.
However, with the establishment of the New Deal by President Franklin Roosevelt in 1933, The National Parks Service saw an opportunity to create a scenic road that would connect Shenandoah National Park in Virginia to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in North Carolina. The limited access automobile corridors would employ the aesthetic features into the scenic drive.
The first portion of the parkway was opened in 1935 with the final section, the Linn Cove Viaduct, completed in 1987. Nicknamed “America’s Favorite Drive,” connecting Shenandoah National Park and the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The numerous overlooks high above the mountain valleys were planned to give the motorists places to rest and enjoy world class views like the one in this photo.
Many of the HoneyBadgerImages are on display at Thomas Mabry Art @ Banks Creek Barn.