One of the greatest attractions and a source of pride to the residents of the Highlands is the natural beauty of the area. Once defined as �perfect sublimity�, the county is comprised of almost 50% National and State Forest lands. The U.S. Forest Service has a long history within the Highlands. During the 1930s and 1940s, when the large iron companies had gone out of business, the U. S. Forest Service began purchasing land in Alleghany County to become National Forest Land. In 1936, the Jefferson National Forest and the George Washington National Forest were created. Today, the National Forest lands of the County fall within the James River District of the George Washington and Jefferson National Forests. One of the greatest undiscovered resources in the area is the water supply. Two major water sources, the Jackson River and the Cowpasture River, meander through the County. Other major water sources include Potts Creek, Dunlaps Creek, Smith Creek and Wilson Creek. Many large capacity wells and natural springs also dot the Alleghany Highlands. Like other areas of the Country, the Depression was hard felt in the Alleghany Highlands. The two iron companies had closed, which were among the major employers of the area. President Roosevelt established a program called the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC). These camps lasted from 1933 to 1942. The enrollees fought fires, built roads, planted trees, placed telephone lines, and built lookout towers. The Dolly Ann CCC camp was located in the Covington area at Fore Mountain. They were responsible for constructing roads on Horse Mountain and Peters Mountain and converting the old railroad grade at Dolly Ann for passenger vehicles. They also constructed fire trails and lookout towers, and planted trees. The Dolly Ann Camp closed in the 1940s. Other CCC Camps in the area are responsible for the construction of Douthat State Park and the Longdale Recreation area (formerly known as Green Pastures).
Posted on: Sun, 18 Jan 2015 21:04:55 +0000
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