Known for its fertility and great natural beauty, the bowl-shaped valley is the highest valley in Virginia. James Burke discovered it during the 1740s while hunting and settled there about 1754. After four years Burke and his family moved to North Carolina, where he died in 1783. The threat of Indian attack and the remoteness of the area discouraged permanent white settlement until the early 19th century.

Photo: J. J. Prats

Photo: J. J. Prats

Photo: Google Maps

Photo: J. J. Prats

Photo: J. J. Prats

Photo: J. J. Prats

Photo: J. J. Prats

Photo: J. J. Prats

Photo: J. J. Prats