Natural Bridge in Rockbridge County, Virginia, is a 215-foot limestone arch over Cedar Creek, understood as the last intact remnant of an ancient cave or tunnel eroded from Ordovician rock. Sacred to the Monacan people, it entered written history in 1742 and was later linked to George Washington. Thomas Jefferson bought the bridge and surrounding land in 1774 and helped elevate its fame, and by the 19th century it had become one of early America’s best-known scenic destinations. Preserved from threatened development in 2013, it has been managed since 2016 as Natural Bridge State Park, protecting the arch, Cedar Creek trail, and nearby falls.