Building the Blue Ridge Parkway (NC) (Images of America)

I have driven the Blue Ridge Parkway 3 times and look forward to going back as many more times as possible. This book serves as an excellent history of how the Blue Ridge Parkway came to be. It has awesome old pictures from when they first started building & planning it and the story itself is well written. I definitely recommend this book if you plan to ride the Parkway or live in the area and simply want to know more about the history. The Blue Ridge Parkway has one area that, to this day, is an architectual 'miracle'. The Linn Cove Viaduct literally 'hangs' off the back side of Grandfather Mountain and it is a thrill to drive on it and realize that the road you're on is attached to the mountain buy huge nuts & bolts & is being supported from below in order to protect the ecology of that area. Plus, the view is amazing; not to be missed!

What a wonderful book about the making of the Parkway! Great stories and facts!

I bought this a few years ago for my Dad and recently for my Aunt as their father- my grandpa- helped build the parkway. It was a cool way to keep a little history for family.

"Images of America" is a wonderful series of photo histories that tell their stories through old photos. "Building the Blue Ridge Parkway" is the story of one of the original "stimulus projects": the Blue Ridge Parkway that runs between Shenandoah National Park in Virginia and the Great Smokey National Park in North Carollina. It is an essential book for both regional history collectors and for those of us who love the Blue Ridge Parkway, whether as residents or as visitors.

I enjoyed the pictures and captions, but I did not enjoy the 3+ page introduction. The introduction is an extended description of a Blue Ridge Parkway Advocacy Group, has little to do with the parkway itself and isn't even written well. An Introduction that discusses the parkway, its history, what was there before the parkway, etc. would be more fitting than an lengthy request for donations. If you purchase the book, it is worth just skimming the introduction and getting to the pictures, which are definitely worth looking at.

Having grown up on the Blue Ridge Parkway, I purchased this book hopping that I would learn more about this wonderful Park. The pictures explained a lot to me about the long history of this road and how and why it was constructed. The writing is OK and could have been much better researched as to families who gave up land for this project. They could have also mentioned that many families, mine included, still suffer today over the building of this road and limitations on the use of our land that has been in many families for hundreds of years. Its a fair job and a 2nd edition would be great that covers in depth the history of the Parkway.

A perfect book for vacation!

I bought this book for my father who lives right beside the the BRP. The history he learned about the BRP has inspired him to drive the entire road in 3 days. awesome gift.