Generations Have Enjoyed this View

At the dedication of Skyland Highway on June 4, 1929, Ohio Governor Myers Cooper praised the trail to the top of Pinnacle Mountain and the appeal of this historic spot, where the beauty of the mountains, the spirit of the pioneer, and patriotic fervor came together. Called an engineering marvel when it opened in 1929, Skyland Highway made stunning views easily accessible and helped pave the way for the creation of a National Park. In the 1930s, sightseers climbed a wooden platform to enjoy what the Sky Land Company called the Garden of Gazes. Support for a national park at Cumberland Gap grew steadily in the late 1940s as vacation travel boomed after World War II. From the 1890s onward, nearby Chimney Rock was a popular day-trip destination for excursionists from Middlesboro. In the early 20th century, motorists eager to see America first joined organizations such as the Dixie Highway Association, which from 1915 to 1927 promoted a paved road system from Ontario to Miami and brought tens of thousands of travelers from across the nation to Cumberland Gap.

Virginia · United States