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Read the remarkable story of Mary Draper Ingles’ capture by Indians. She escaped captivity and walked hundreds of miles to return home to the her settlement in the New River Valley. Throughout her journey, Mary followed the river to find her way home. Mary survived starvation, harsh weather, and walking hundreds of miles barefoot through the woods in order to return to her family-
“Down the New River they traveled north (the New flows south to north and crosses the mountains from east to west, cutting through every ridge of the Alleghenies), until they reached the Kanawha, where they made camp at a salt spring. There the captives were put to work making salt by boiling water — in their own (stolen) kettles.
During the month it took the Indians and their captives to reach the Shawnee village on the banks of the Scioto and Ohio rivers, Mary Draper Ingles was busy memorizing landmarks, tying knots in a string to keep count of the days of travel, and, always, noting that they followed rivers.
What waited for the prisoners at the Indian village wasn’t pleasant. Together with white prisoners from other raids, Bettie Draper and Henry Lenard were made to run the gauntlet — pass between two parallel lines of Indians wielding clubs and whips. The best they could hope for was reaching the end scratched and bruised and humiliated; the worst possible outcome was death.
Again, Mary Ingles was treated well, being spared the running of the gauntlet. She determined to put herself to good use, hoping to keep her children with her.”
Follow this link to read the entire article:
http://www.blueridgecountry.com/archive/mary-draper-ingles.html
At Claytor Lake State Park you’ll find a historical marker commemorating Dunkard’s Bottom. Dunkard’s Bottom was the first white settlement west of the New River. The community was enveloped by water when the dam was constructed and now lies at the bottom of Claytor Lake.
This article has some fascinating information about the early settlers of Dunkard’s Bottom. One of the earliest recorded descriptions notes that:
“In 1749 the Moravian missionaries noted that in the region of Dunkard’s Bottom they found a “kind of white people who wore deer skins, lived by hunting, associated with the Indians and acted like savages.” Once the Dunkard’s got to America they changed their ways to fit the lifestyle of the American Frontier.”
To read the full article follow this link:
http://www.waymarking.com/waymarks/WM4BYM
The Washington Post wrote an article highlighting the abundant opportunities for outdoor recreation in the New River Valley. This article focuses on hiking, biking and paddling the region and offers suggestions for great hikes such as the New River Trail. The article suggests stopping by Blue Ridge Outdoors in Blacksburg for a free guide to area hikes, “Hiking Adventures Around Virginia Tech.” This guide describes 24 nearby hikes and offers information about location, difficulty level and what scenery hikers will be rewarded with along their journey.
excerpt from the article:
“A geological quirk, the New River flows north, snaking from Grayson County on the North Carolina border up through Giles County before rolling into West Virginia. It skirts the edge of Mount Rogers National Recreation Area, travels through the Jefferson National Forest and the Appalachian Mountains, and is crossed by the Appalachian Trail. Along the way it traverses a Virginia region offering a veritable embarrassment of riches in outdoor recreation: hiking, paddling, fishing, road- and mountain-biking, horseback riding, birding, river tubing and, in short, more outdoors than you can hope to cram into a weekend — but go ahead and give it a try.”
By Caroline Kettlewell
Special to The Washington Post
Friday, August 26, 2005
To read the full article, go to:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/08/25/AR2005082500749.html
“In every walk with nature one receives more than he seeks.” – John Muir
The New River Trail journeys alongside the river, meandering through shaded forests, verdant green hillsides, and quaint farmlands. Although best known as a scenic recreation destination for its enchanting natural charm, the New River Trail is far more than just a walk in the woods. The trail has a vibrant history and has undergone various transformations throughout the centuries.
Native American tribes and early settlers would follow the river in their struggle for survival and prosperity. One notable local from Draper, Mary Ingles, was captured in a raid by Shawnee Indians in 1755, then taken back to Ohio. In her heroic journey, she escaped from her captors and followed the New River to find her way back home. Later, when America became a quickly developing nation, a railroad system was put in place alongside the river to transport raw materials as well as travelers. In 1987 the Rails to Trails program converted the abandoned railroad tracks into a pristine recreation area.
Today, visitors to the trail can still experience the nostalgia of the old time trains. Twenty-eight former railroad trestles have been preserved as well as several historic train depots. In each of the two tunnels carved out of stone, one can hear the resounding echoes and imagine a time when trains thundered through them. The trail also passes by Shot Tower Historical State Park where ammunition was made for setters in the early 1800’s. Travelers along the trail can also explore unique geological features such as steep rocky cliff sides, unusual rock formations, and the one hundred foot deep Bertha Cave. An attentive eye may spot beaver dens tucked among the sycamore roots or patterns of grooves on the cone shaped stumps of trees felled by beavers. Watch the riverbank for great blue herons fishing for their next meal. White-tailed deer are commonly spotted crossing the trail, especially in the early morning quiet.
Perhaps equally astounding as the wildlife is the peacefulness that enshrines the trail. Visitors often find that their pace slows down as their eyes open up to natural wonders and their ears fill with the refreshing music of birdsong and rippling water. The New River Trail welcomes hikers, bicyclists and horseback riders to follow the river on a journey through history and into the wild.
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