Natural Bridge - Virginia's Natural Wonder

Radiate_Truth · Natural Bridge - Virginia's Natural Wonder

The Natural Bridge in western Virginia was once considered one of the seven natural wonders of the world, until the discovery of flying squirrels pushed it to number eight. Though it has been on a downward trend ever since, it is still impressive and useful: a major highway still crosses it, since it spans between two mountains.

In 1750, young George Washington surveyed the Natural Bridge site for Lord Fairfax. Landmarks remain of the work and on the wall of the bridge where he carved his initials.

On July 5, 1774 just before the American Revolution and writing of the Declaration of Independence, Thomas Jefferson purchased 157 acres of land including the Natural Bridge from King George III of England for 20 shillings.

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Sound And Light Show

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On May 22, 1927 then President of the United States Calvin Coolidge pressed the button that inaugurated the night illumination of Natural Bridge. Phineas Stevens, celebrated lighting engineer, had designed and installed an impressive system of lighting which at night transforms the Bridge and glen into a marvel of living stone.

To this, musical accompaniment was added to form a moving drama of creation, interpreted by some of the greatest symphonic compositions of all time and vocal music of unusual quality and appeal. During the night pageant, mountain sides form a vast stage. Scenes move and change with the mood of gripping music in a spectacle which takes the onlooker back into the eternal ages.

We can, through the Drama of Creation, note that there are two Bridges; one by daylight and another by night.

Radiate_Truth

My husband and I spent our honeymoon there. Spent about 4 days at the Luray Caverns and about three days at Natural Bridge. After you get past seeing the bridge and you can tear yourself away from it's awesome beauty there is a path into like the woods. When you walk down the path you see this huge cave and trees where lovers and married couples have either carved there initials in the trees or wrote there initials on the outside of the wall of the cave. Then if one walks farther, which takes about a half hour there is the most gorgeous waterfall. There are not enough words to describe the awesome beauty of it all.

Luray Caverns

Please!!! If you have ever done any traveling. Please post images and tell us about them in your own words. All of us aren't lucky to afford to travel and I love to hear about others experiences.

Radiate_Truth

Just a few things I also admire about the state of Virginia. State flower or should I say they grow on trees.

Dogwood Flower

The Flowering Dogwood is the Virginia State Tree and Flower. There are forty different types of Dogwood, fifteen of those being native to North America and Canada. The American dogwood is one of the commonest trees of the Middle Atlantic and southern states. It grows from New England west to Minnesota and south. Dogwoods are popular because of their large, showy flowers. Virginia adopted the Flowering Dogwood as its state tree and flower. The scientific name for the Flowering Dogwood is the Cornus Florida. The Flowering Dogwood is also North Carolina's state flower, and Missouri's State Tree. The Flowering Dogwood rarely grows more than forty feet high. In the fall , the upper part of the leaves turns scarlet or orange and bright red fruits grow on the tree. This popular plant has been known by many names, including false boxwood, cornelian tree, Florida dogwood, spindle tree, bird cherry, and Nature’s mistake.

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VA State Bird - The Cardinal

The cardinal is VA's state bird. They grow to be about 7 inches long.
The skin is greyish brown,with dull red wings. It became the state bird on March 7,1949 because of its song. It was known as the nightengale. The cardinal is one of the finch family

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