Name: Outer Banks Scenic Byway
Brand: Douglas Stover
SKU: 9781467115537
Price: 24.99 USD
Availability: InStock

Outer Banks Scenic Byway

9781467115537

$24.99

The Outer Banks National Scenic Byway stretches the length of North Carolina's 200-mile barrier islands. The unique maritime culture shared by the 21 coastal villages led to the road's designation as a National Scenic Byway in 2009. The route is entered from the north at Whalebone Junction in Nags Head, North Carolina, and from the south at the North River Bridge on US 70 East, just past Beaufort, North Carolina. Encompassing 142.5 driving miles, six and a half hours of travel time, and two ferries, the byway traverses Hatteras Island, Ocracoke, and Down East in Dare County and Hyde and Carteret Counties. This book explores the region's rich maritime history, culture, and traditions, such as boatbuilding, decoy carving, fishing, lighthouse-keeping, and living with the powerful forces of water and wind. Travelers can experience local seafood, ascend three lighthouses, and discover outdoor trails and endless miles of marsh and beaches offering bird-watching and solitude.

Haunted Potomac River Valley

9781467147781

$21.99

Before European colonists first dipped their toes in our "Nation's River," it succored generations of American Indians, who added their own stories and often stained its banks with their blood. Revolutionary War ghosts haunt its length, from Shepherdstown to Saint George's Island. Harpers Ferry is home to more than one nineteenth-century haunt, and ghosts of Civil War soldiers linger in the river's upper reaches. Former residents still reside in historic buildings in Sterling, Arlington and Alexandria. Point Lookout, at the mouth of the river, is the most haunted site in Maryland. While the Potomac has weathered horrors and tragedies, many residents did not. Author David W. Thompson tells their stories.

Alexander City

9780738588049

$24.99

The story of Alexander City began hundreds of years ago with members of the Creek Nation who lived along the rivers and streams in what is now central Alabama. Alabama gained statehood in 1819 following the Battle of the Horseshoe Bend in 1814 and ceding of Creek lands. With the final cessions of land in 1832 and removal of Native Americans in 1837, settlers arrived with their families, some purchasing lots drafted by Griffin Young in the town square. The arrival of the railroad in 1874 resulted in the town's name changing from Youngsville to Alexander City to honor Edward P. Alexander, president of the Savannah and Memphis Railroad. Early commerce flourished with the opening of the Alexander City Mill in 1901. Within a year, the entire town and nearby residences burned. The pioneer spirit of the people prevailed, and the town was rebuilt within weeks. In the early 20th century, the successes of Avondale Mills and Russell Corporation provided an economic environment where hometown businesses, schools, and churches thrived.

Lighthouses and Lifesaving Stations of Virginia

9780738517858

$24.99

Created as navigational tools, lighthouses are of interest to more than mariners; the ruggedly romantic nature of the beacons delights and enthralls thousand of admirers. Lights along the Virginia coast are no exception, from the richly historic Old Cape Henry Light, authorized by President George Washington in 1789, to the candy-striped Assateague Light on the state's Eastern Shore. Of equal interest are the tales of the men of the United States Life-Saving Service, the forerunner of today's Coast Guard. Spaced along the shore, they aided navigation by responding selflessly to ships in distress, often at their own peril. Many of their quaint, beach cottage-style stations are lost, others preserved.

Lighthouses and Lifesaving Stations of Virginia

George Washington's 1791 Southern Tour

9781467119795

$21.99

Newly elected president George Washington set out to visit the new nation aware that he was the singular unifying figure in America.

The journey's finale was the Southern Tour, starting in March 1791. The long and arduous trek from the capital, Philadelphia, passed through seven states and the future Washington, D.C. But the focus was on Virginia, the Carolinas and Georgia. The president kept a rigorous schedule, enduring rugged roads and hazardous water crossings. His highly anticipated arrival in each destination was celebrated with countless teas, parades, dinners and dances. Author Warren Bingham reveals the history and lore of the most beloved American president and his survey of the newly formed southern United States.

Franklin

9781467120241

$24.99

Richly blessed with gems and minerals, the small North Carolina town of Franklin is touted as the "Gem Capital of the World.'?

Franklin sits on a hill above the Little Tennessee River--the surveyors who chose the site in 1820 admired its beauty, laying out the town with Main Street facing the Cowee Mountains to the east and the Nantahala Range to the west. Though encircled by rugged summits, Franklin was situated directly by well-worn trails, and it soon developed into the market center of southwestern North Carolina, a role it still retains today, particularly in the construction, furniture, and jewelry trades. In addition to its natural supply of gems and minerals, Franklin is also justly proud of its crafters, including quilters, woodworkers, potters, basket makers, and glass artists.The Franklin Press, founded in 1886, is the oldest business in the county; the Macon County Historical Society, along with the Franklin Gem and Mineral Museum, are perennial favorites with tourists. Franklin is also a gateway town for the Appalachian Trail, attracting hikers almost year-round.Images of America: Franklinshowcases the rich commercial and community history of this North Carolina mountain town.

History Lover's Guide to Louisville, A

9781467148689

$21.99

Gateway to the South. Home of the Kentucky Derby and Churchill Downs. Louisville has a rich history beginning with the city's discovery by General George Rogers Clark. The city played an important role in the Civil War, and during the Gilded Age, it became the Bourbon Capital of the World. During World War I, the city hosted 47,500 troops at Camp Zachary Taylor. During World War II, the United States Naval Ordnance Plant contributed to the war effort, which made rounds for big guns during the late war. Author Bryan S. Bush takes the reader on a journey to explore and discover the history of Louisville through the historic sites and locations from far past to the present day.

Valdosta

9780738582115

$24.99

Valdosta, located in Lowndes County in the wiregrass region of southern Georgia, was founded in 1860, when the county seat was moved 4 miles east from Troupville to meet the railroad that would connect the region with Savannah. The town was named for the residence of former governor George Troup, who named his home after the Valle d'Aosta region of northern Italy. The town took some time to begin substantial growth, but after the Sea Island cotton market boomed in the late 1800s, the town entered a period of expansion that has rarely slowed. Currently, Valdosta is home to several major highways, a state university, a nationally known amusement park, and an Air Force base.

Built by Blacks

9781596294592

$24.99

Richmond is a classic Southern city, most notable as the Confederate capitol. However, the irony of Richmond is that much of its beautiful architecture was built by Black laborers.

The city's vast and varied collection of architecture provides an archive of African American history, both of enslaved and free peoples. Author Selden Richardson explains how iconic symbols of old Richmond and the generations of Black laborers who helped assemble it are embodied in both the preserved and the forgotten architecture of the city. After you finish this book, it will be as if the buildings in Richmond tell their own stories to you.

Naval Air Station Jacksonville

9781467111058

$24.99

Naval Air Station Jacksonville was commissioned on October 15, 1940, and has trained tens of thousands of naval aviators throughout its long history.

Located along the banks of the St. Johns River, the site and the weather conditions make the base a premier aviation facility. Initially conducting primary and seaplane training, it expanded to training pilots in almost every type of aircraft the Navy has flown. The Navy's elite precision aviators, the Blue Angels, were formed at the base in 1946. Today, as a master anti submarine base, it remains home to 15 aviation squadrons; some 115 tenant commands and almost 20,000 military, civilian, and contract employees work at the station daily.

Lynchburg

9780738586847

$24.99

Since its beginning as a ferry crossing in 1757, the city of Lynchburg has covered the hills that rise above the James River. A community that has managed to successfully blend its past with the best that the present has to offer, Lynchburg is truly the "Heart of Virginia."

Death Along the Natchez Trace

9781467149778

$21.99

The Natchez Trace is the "Path of Nations,'? a 450-mile-long game trail stamped into the earth by primeval bison. Once the domain of the Natchez, Choctaw, Chickasaw, Creek and Cherokee tribes, the Trace nurtured these groups, but it was also watered with the blood of tribesmen long before any white man trod on it. European settlers eventually used the path to navigate between the backwoods Cumberland settlements and the cosmopolitan city of Natchez, with Spanish gold clinking in the seams of their clothes and wads of tough jerky turning in their cheeks. Today, the Natchez Trace stands as one of the prettiest and most history-soaked pathways in the United States. Join authors Ryan Starrett and Josh Foreman as they look at the myriad ways people have lived and died along it.

Randolph County

9780738586731

$24.99

The geographic heart of North Carolina, Randolph County has been at the crossroads of history since the 17th century, when explorers first arrived along the Great Indian Trading Path. Every variety of religion, creed, and color could be found in the county from its creation in 1779, with combinations that often proved volatile. From the Uwharrie Mountains in the west to the Deep River Valley on the east, Randolph County has been home to powerful opposing forces. It is a county where potters are more common than doctors. It is home to five of North Carolina's first textile mills, yet it remains one of the state's leading agricultural producers. Its residents refused to secede from the Union but sent six companies into Confederate service. Although settled by pacifist Quakers, bitter guerrilla warfare pitted neighbor against neighbor in both the American Revolution and the Civil War. A dry county that permits no sales of alcoholic beverages, it fostered the racing spirit of NASCA R by running moonshine along its back roads. It is a county with a history, politics, and people of vision, depth, and complexity.

Jefferson City

9781467112604

$24.99

In 1788, Adam and Elizabeth Peck followed the Holston River from Virginia into east Tennessee and settled in what would become Mossy Creek. Utilizing the waterway, the Pecks' gristmill thrived within a growing community. The outbreak of the Civil War brought the Battle of Mossy Creek on December 29, 1863. During the next century, zinc mining, the establishment of Mossy Creek Missionary Baptist Seminary (now Carson-Newman University), and the town's inclusion as a stop on the new railroad ushered a steady flow of people to this picturesque region of promise. In 1901, Mossy Creek joined the Carsonville and Frame Addition communities to be incorporated as Jefferson City. The Tennessee Valley Authority began work in 1940 on nearby Cherokee Dam, generating both jobs and tourism.

Richmond Cemeteries

9781467122047

$24.99

Richmond, Virginia, the capital of the Confederacy and once one of the most prosperous cities in the United States, is home to a range of cemeteries that tell the story of American trends in honoring the dead. African slaves were interred in Shockoe Bottom's so-called "burial ground for negroes," US presidents James Monroe and John Tyler were buried in Hollywood Cemetery, and Civil War soldiers were commemorated throughout the metropolis; indeed, the River City has laid blacks and whites to rest in flood zones and on rolling hills alike. During and shortly after the Civil War, Richmond worked to accommodate thousands of new graves. Today, Richmonders work to preserve and celebrate the past while making way for the future.

Finding Daniel Boone

9781467145886

$23.99

Finding Daniel Boone is a unique tribute to America's frontier hero and offers closure to the greatest of all his mysteries: where he was buried. Part biography, part historical travelogue and eloquently narrated using fresh sources, rare forensic data and new field interviews, this is more than just a search for a man's bones. Fully re-creating Daniel's lost world, noted historian and author Ted Franklin Belue journeys along the famous Pathfinder's last trail, from Missouri and back to Kentucky, meeting a host of colorful characters. As little has been written about Boone's western days, where he lived the longest, this work examines the legendary woodsman's life as much as his death.

Boone Hall Plantation

9780738567259

$24.99

Boone Hall Plantationis one of America's oldest working plantations, continually growing crops for over three centuries.

In 1681, Boone Hall Plantationbegan its long history in the Lowcountry. From the Boone family through the McRaes, the plantation's residents, black and white, all left a significant imprint upon the land as the plantation survived two wars and became the longest running brickyard in the area.

As a center of tourism, Boone Hallembodies the romance of the South while providing the resources necessary to understand the network of lives that has inhabited the plantation for over 300 years. The plantation is tightly linked with the community and draws upon that relationship in its many educational programs. Numerous festivals are celebrated at the plantation, including the Strawberry Festivaland Happy Jack's Pumpkin Patch, and many seek the unique landscape for their social gatherings. Through these relationships and events, Boone Hallwill endure well into the future.

Carolina Crimes:

9781596291669

$24.99

In this intense insider's study of murder in South Carolina, Lt. Rita Y. Shuler leads us through the dark twists and turns of twelve homicide cases that gripped the state during her career as a forensic photographer with South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED). Shuler's fascination with the criminal mind began with her exposure as a young girl to a 1953 double-homicide that shocked South Carolina. When she came face to face with the original case records twenty-four years later on her first day of work as a forensic photographer she was immediately hooked on a profession that took her deep into the investigation of hundreds of cases. Shuler's firsthand experience with forensic evidence of crime scenes and the court system gives her a unique perspective on murder and its horrifying effects on public and private lives. By combining analysis of court transcripts and official statements and confessions from murderers with her own personal interactions with the key players in some of these tragic dramas, Shuler allows the reader to see into the criminal minds of notorious killers like Pee Wee Gaskins, Rudolph Tyner, Ronald Rusty"? Woomer and Larry Gene Bell. Shuler's study is a must for everyone fascinated by the criminal mind and by the most famous murder cases in South Carolina's recent past."

Isle of Palms

9780738518022

$24.99

Named for its abundance of sabal palms, this seven-mile barrier island off the South Carolina coast is a classic beach community.

In 1899, Dr. Joseph S. Lawrence dubbed the island the Isle of Palms to attract more tourists. Originally called Hunting Island by the Sewee Indians, the island was frequented mostly by hunters and fisherman. By the early 1900s, Isle of Palms was a popular resort. People came to visit the grand pavilion built by the Sottile family of Charleston and ride the giant Ferris wheel. Beachgoers enjoyed this recreational haven, but the Great Depression stalled the island's activity. Then, in 1944, Charleston attorney J.C. Long bought and developed 1,200 acres, and the island experienced renewed growth. In 1953, the island was incorporated into the City of Isle of Palms. Today, the Isle of Palms is home to more than 4,500 permanent residents and is a vacation destination for thousands of visitors each year. Images of America: Isle of Palms captures the charm of this old beach community.

The Navy Capital of the World:

9781596299733

$24.99

From the famous Civil War ironclads that clashed in its waters to the great battleships that gathered off Norfolk's Sewell's Point as part of President Theodore Roosevelt's Great White Fleet, the Hampton Roads region of Virginia has maintained a proud naval tradition. Into the twenty-first century, the maritime region has remained on the cutting edge of military technology as the nucleus for the birth of naval aviation and the training site for scores of men who stormed the beaches of Europe and the Pacific during World War II. With her fascinating research and incredible array of rare and striking photographs, military historian Amy Waters Yarsinske guides readers through the storied history of the navy in Hampton Roads.

Green Cove Springs

9780738586427

$24.99

Before the arrival of Spanish and French explorers, Green Cove Springs was inhabited by various groups of the Timucua Indians. When Spain relinquished Florida at the end of the French and Indian War, British aristocrats established several large rice and indigo plantations. Magnolia Springs become a popular winter resort after Dr. Nathan Benedict of New York established the first hotel around 1853. After the Civil War, the area become popular with northern citizens, and Magnolia Springs boasted of having the largest and most opulent hotel, while Green Cove Springs contained eight hotels and the famous spring from which the town drew its name. Since 1871, Green Cove Springs has been the county seat of Clay County. Over time, the town saw itself become a large winter resort and home to one the navy's largest mothball fleets after World War II. Today the hotels and navy are gone, but it remains the county seat with a thriving community and small-town charm.

The Biltmore Nursery:

9781596292383

$26.99

At its peak, the Biltmore Nursery ranked among the largest and most prolific nurseries in the world. It was part of an unprecedented horticultural, botanical and forestry enterprise on George W. Vanderbilt's magnificent Biltmore Estate, envisioned and designed by brilliant landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted. The nursery was created to provide the millions of plants needed to adorn Biltmore Estate's renowned gardens and grounds, and it quickly grew into a monumental commercial venture that supplied plants to customers around the globe.

This landmark book tells the story of the Biltmore Nursery in two fascinating ways: a revealing overview history and a complete reproduction of the 1912 Biltmore Nursery Catalog. The history tells the story of the nursery from its establishment in 1889 to its destruction in a catastrophic flood in 1916, and the profusely illustrated catalog offers a guide to the cultivated trees, shrubs and plants of North America during the early twentieth century, with more than 1,700 distinct varieties described.

Presented here as never before, Biltmore Estate's rich botanical legacy will resonate with Biltmore lovers, horticulturists and gardeners, botanists and dendrologists, landscape architects, students, and historians.

Mardi Gras in Kodachrome

9781467102766

$24.99

America's greatest party and America's most colorful city, in all their shades, shimmer here in a never-before-published 1950-1960 collection of photographs taken at New Orleans's annual Mardi Gras. Photographer Ruth Ketcham chose the revolutionary Kodachrome slide film to capture carnival, its walking and parading krewes, bystanders, and masquers. Kodachrome's fade-resistant images preserve a bygone 1950s era, not only of Mardi Gras but also of a bustling French Quarter, alive again with Regal Beer ("Red beans and rice / And Regal on ice"), Dixieland jazz clubs, the burlesque dancers and temptations of Bourbon Street, and the shopper's paradise that was Canal Street.

Hidden History of Kentucky Political Scandals

9781467145824

$21.99

At various points in history, Kentucky's politics and government have been rocked by scandal, and each episode defined the era in which it happened. In 1826, Governor Desha pardoned his own son for murder. In a horrific crime, Governor Goebel was assassinated in 1900. James Wilkinson was branded a traitor against Kentucky and the nation. "Honest Dick Tate" ran away with massive amounts of money from the state treasury. In modern times, Operation BOPTROT resulted in perhaps the biggest scandal in the state. Authors Robert Schrage and John Schaaf offer a fascinating account of Kentucky's history and its many unique and scandalous characters.

Hidden History of Kentucky Political Scandals

Historic Zion Cemetery in Memphis

9781467152143

$23.99

Discover an Historic Hidden Treasure in African American History

With more than 30,000 interred in its 15 acres, Zion Cemetery is the largest African American community burial ground in Memphis. It was opened in 1876 by former slaves to establish a sacred burial ground for people of color. It is the final resting place of luminaries like Reverend Morris Henderson, who led the founding of the cemetery, and Dr. Georgia Patton Washington, Tennessee's first African American physician. Lynching victims Thomas Moss, Calvin McDowell and William Stewart rest there. The cemetery is also the final home of Thomas Franks Cassels and the grandparents of Dr. Benjamin Hooks. Dr. Peatchola Cole-Jones details the rich history and more.

Gilded Age Norfolk, Virginia:

9781467117708

$21.99

Norfolk's rise as a premier seaport brought with it an increase in power, wealth and industry in the nineteenth century. Local prominent families lived in exquisitely crafted homes and owned flourishing local businesses. Cobblestone lined the Freemason District and downtown streets. The area's elite participated in numerous social clubs, religious groups and philanthropic organizations. One family, the Hunters, lived so luxuriously that they became one of the most fashionable families in the city. Join author Jaclyn Spainhour as she explores Norfolk's social customs, cosmopolitan soirées and more that truly embodied the Gilded Age.

Big Stone Gap

9780738553931

$24.99

In 1908, author John Fox Jr. published his best-selling novel The Trail of the Lonesome Pine, and with it, he brought Big Stone Gap into homes across the country. In modern times, Big Stone Gap is best known for a series of novels by hometown author Adriana Trigiani. "The Gap" has always been in the vocabulary of Southwest Virginians but has now taken root on the national scene for a second time in history. Big Stone Gap has since dubbed itself "the Little Town with the Big Story." This story began in the 1880s with the discovery of nearby coalfields that sent Northern investors into an expansion frenzy. The town was touted as the new "Pittsburgh of the South" with its railroads, hotels, and vibrant business and cultural scenes.

Itawamba County

9780738590684

$24.99

Itawamba County takes its name from Chief Itawamba, a prominent leader of the Chickasaw Indians. Formed in 1836 from ceded Chickasaw Indian lands, the county was settled by hardy, industrious pioneers seeking new opportunities in a new land. The legacy of these hardworking settlers continues with the photographic history portrayed in Images of America: Itawamba County. Beautiful and immense hardwood forests that provided shelter for its pioneers later became the source of a logging boom, with sawmills and oxen being a familiar sight. Life in Itawamba County was not all work and no play, however. The county has a rich musical heritage: local musician Jordan Cockrell won first place in the World Championship Fiddling Contest held at the 1904 World's Fair in St. Louis; the "First Lady of Country Music," Tammy Wynette, and jazz great Jimmie Lunceford, known as the "King of Syncopation," were both born here; and the roots of the "King of Rock and Roll," Elvis Presley, go deep in Itawamba County.

John Sevier

9781626191303

$23.99

This book sheds new light on John Sevier, founding father of the state of Tennessee.

A celebrated soldier, admired politician and founding father of the state of Tennessee, John Sevier led an adventurous life. He commanded a frontier militia into battle against British Loyalists at Kings Mountain. He waged a relentless war against the Cherokees in his effort to claim America's first frontier. He forged the state of Franklin from the western lands of North Carolina and later became Tennessee's first governor. Following his death, Sevier's accomplishments faded from public memory, but years later, writers resurrected his image through romanticized accounts of his exploits, relying heavily on folk tales and recollections from aging pioneers. Thus, life and legend intertwined. Join authors Gordon T. Belt and Traci Nichols-Belt as they examine John Sevier's extraordinary life through the lens of history and memory, shedding new light on this remarkable Tennessee figure.

The Catawba Indian Nation of the Carolinas

9780738517063

$24.99

The Catawba Indians are aboriginal to South Carolina, and their pottery tradition may be traced to 2,400 B.C. When Hernando de Soto visited the Catawba Nation (then Cofitachique) in 1540, he found a sophisticated Mississippian Culture. After the founding of Charleston in 1670, the Catawba population declined. Throughout subsequent demographic stress, the Catawba supported themselves by making and peddling pottery. They have the only surviving Native American pottery tradition east of the Mississippi. Without pottery, there would be no Catawba Indian Nation today.

Cover image for The Catawba Indian Nation of the Carolinas, isbn: 9780738517063

A Short History of Richmond

9781625859570

$21.99

The seven hills at the James River fall line that Captain John Smith first witnessed in 1607 became the site of a pivotal American city. Richmond was a birthplace of the American Revolution. It became the permanent capital of Virginia and served as the capital of the Confederacy during the Civil War. In the early twentieth century, industry expanded in the city as companies like DuPont and Philip Morris built factories. Cultural institutions expanded, with Richmond's first radio station and movie theater opening in the 1920s, before the Great Depression hit the city hard. The city rose from financial struggle to a highly industrialized center for manufacturing and vital transportation hub. Join authors Jack Trammell and Guy Terrell as they narrate the rich history of the River City.

Historic Forsyth County

9780738597874

$24.99

Forsyth County, named for Benjamin Forsyth, was founded in 1849 from Stokes County. Moravians originally moved into the area in 1753 and established the 100,000-acre Wachovia tract, but it was more formally settled later by Scot-Irish and English pioneers. In Historic Forsyth County, lost towns and neighborhoods, significant sites in the area from the Revolutionary War to World War II, are profiled in archival photographs and text. Some events and persons involved include Gottlieb Schober, creator of the first modern paper mill in the United States. The paper mill's settlement in Salem was a stop for a large percentage of settlers going west between 1805 and 1820. In 1920, the creation-versus-evolution debate came to the forefront in a Forsyth County house of worship. This religious meeting set the stage for North Carolina endorsing evolution and teaching it in the county's public school system.

Kings Mountain and Cowpens

9781596298293

$21.99

From the rocky slopes of Kings Mountain to the plains of Hannah's Cowpens, the Carolina backcountry hosted two of the Revolutionary War's most critical battles

On October 7, 1780, the Battle of Kings Mountain utilized guerilla techniques - American Over Mountain Men wearing buckskin and hunting shirts and armed with hunting rifles attacked Loyalist troops from behind trees, resulting in an overwhelming Patriot victory. In January of the next year, the Battle of Cowpens saw a different strategy but a similar outcome: with brilliant military precision, Continental Regulars, dragoons, and Patriot militia executed the war's only successful double envelopment maneuver to defeat the British. Using firsthand accounts and careful analysis of the best classic and modern scholarship on the subject, historian Robert Brown demonstrates how the combination of both battles facilitated the downfall of General Charles Cornwallis and led to the Patriot victory in America.

Johns Island Presbyterian Church:

9781596299504

$21.99

First founded three centuries ago by British Dissenters and French Huguenots, Johns Island Presbyterian Church was built on a promise of religious freedom and tolerance offered by the South Carolina charter. The church is one of the oldest continuously active congregations of any denomination in North America, and it has survived multiple wars and the clash of different cultures to endure into the twenty-first century. Join Dr. Charles Raynal in this informative history as he pays homage to a Lowcountry religious icon.

Virginia International Raceway

9780738515168

$24.99

From the August 1957 VIR race program: "The rolling Virginia hills have been painstakingly clad with an ultra-smooth skin of macadam to provide a course of great natural beauty. The superb spectator visibility is nicely equated to a road layout that will test the best in racing machines and men." In the late 1950s, a group of sports car enthusiasts dreamed of creating a first-class racing facility. The result was Virginia International Raceway, a challenging 3.2-mile course with 12 turns, 2 straightaways, and over 100 feet of elevation change. Located in southern Virginia, east of Danville and just across the North Carolina border, the track opened in 1957. During VIR's first 18 years of existence, races featured some of the top names in American motorsports including Carroll Shelby, Roger Penske, Walt Hansgen, and Richard Petty. The track also hosted numerous important events including SCCA Nationals, the President's Cup, a Trans-Am race in the first season of that circuit, as well as IMSA races in the early 1970s. Facing financial difficulties, the track shut down in 1974, and for the next 25 years VIR was a cow pasture. It was reopened in 2000 and the outstanding new facility is again one of the top racing venues in the country.