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A Guide to the Shenandoah National Park Oral History Collection, 1964-2000.

SC# 4030 [SdArch SNP]


Processed by:  Gillian Schulz and Chris Bolgiano, March, 2002

***Audio in this collection is currently undergoing migration to digital format and cataloging.***

***This finding aid does not reflect changes.***

***last updated, April 2009***

[See catalog entries for interviews that are currently available]


Preferred Citation:  Shenandoah National Park Oral History Collection, SC# 4030 [SdArch SNP], Special Collections, Carrier Library, James Madison University, Harrisonburg, VA. 

Descriptive Summary.  

       Physical Characteristics:  This collection is currently being rehoused; approximately 6 Hollinger boxes, plus 2 media cabinet drawers.

       Abstract: There are approximately 90 accessible transcripts (135 total) of people who were living in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia when they were forcibly removed in the 1930s for the creation of Shenandoah National Park.

Scope & Content.    Most of these oral histories were conducted by author Dorothy Noble Smith in the 1970s and early 1980s in preparation for her book, Recollections:  the People of the Blue Ridge Remember (Verona, VA:  McClure, 1983).  Other interviews were conducted by unknown interviewers.  The people interviewed resided in what is now Shenandoah National Park and were moved out after the park was dedicated in1934.  The interviews contain details of many different aspects of traditional mountain life.

Biographical/Historical Information.  Dorothy Noble Smith was a native of New Jersey and had a distinguished career in banking in New York City before she retired to Luray, VA.  She wrote for the Page News and Courier for more than 20 years and became well known in Page County.  Fascinated by a way of life that ended with the creation of Shenandoah National Park, she conducted interviews to document, as she says in the Preface to Recollections,  "a life beset with difficulties and troubles, but also resplendent with joys."  

Use Restrictions:  Some interviews have restrictions; this list does not denote restrictions; see Special Collections Librarian.

Acquisition Information:  This collection was donated by the National Park Service in May, 2001.

Contents

[contact Special Collections Librarian for access to audio, as migration to digital format is incomplete]

* = No transcript 

BOX 1, AB-CA
Name Date Subject

Abel, Arlene Carr

10-2-79

Sugar Hollow

Atkins, Beulah

1-3,31-79

Big Spring area

Atkins, Elmer

7-24-79

Flint Hill , Va.

Atkins, Sally with Lila Dodson, and Beulah Atkins

2-27-79

Hazel Mountain

Baldwin, Joseph J.

12-13-79

Mountain View area

Baugher, Harold

4-6-79

West of Swift Run

Beahm, Issac William

10-23-85

Batman Hollow

Beahm, Lyle

4-25-79

Jewell Hollow

Berry, George

9-7-79

Cool Springs

Breeden, Everett and Mrs. Thomas Breeden (Mr & Mrs?)

11-14-78

Tanner’s Ridge

Burke, Weldon

12-16-78

Hazel Mountain

Burner, James

9-16-77

SNP employee

Cave, Elzie A and Lula Breeden

5-5-78, 8-3-78

Dark Hollow

Cave, Evey-Dell

11-9-79

Dark Hollow

Cave, Ralph

9-21-77

Dark Hollow

 
BOX 2, CA-GA
 

Cave, Vallie and Floyd Thomas

9-19-78

Rocky Knob and Booten’s Gap

Chapman, Charles

1-30-80

Carillonneur, Luray Singing Tower, Luray Va.

Coffman, Lucille Blose

8-2-78, 8-27-78

Naked Creek area

Corbin, Virgil F.

1-3-79

Nicholson Hollow

Cullers, Claude

3-27-80

Rileyville, Va.

Cupp, Bennie and Lula Roach and Hazel Marshall Roach

4-13,15,16-76

Brown Mountain

Deane, Lola

3-16-79

Pine Grove

Dearing, Mamie V. Jenkin

11-5-80

Dark Hollow

Dodson, Estelle Nicholson

11-23-77

Corbin Hollow

*Dodson, Lila

2-27-79

Dubosq, John

12-1-77

Naked Creek Mission

Eppard, Irene Breeden (Mrs. Roy)

8-9-78, 11-9-78

Thorofare Mountain

Estes, Charles H.

3-10-78, 5-10-78

Sawmill operator, Piney River

Finks, Fisher F. and Myrtle Hurt

10-6-78

Big Meadows

Fox, Annie Virginia Winfield

5-14-80

Fox Hollow

*Franklin, Mrs. Lynn W., Sr.

10-28-77

Thornton Gap

Fray, Joseph

5-2-80

Camp Hoover

Frazier, Homer and Vergie

10-4, 14-77

Roadabush Mountain place

*Garrison, Harold

8-10/9, 11-1980

Loft Mountain

 
BOX 3, GR-KE
 

Grannis, Louis C.
(Side B of cassette ends abruptly)

5-2-77

Saw miller

*Grove, J. Morris (Maurice) and Frances

10-30-77

Rocky Branch area

Harris, Paul Doug “Duke”

11-14-79

Brown’s Gap and Blackrock Hotel

Harris, Roy R.

5-10, 15-79

Brown’s Gap and mountain music

Hickerson, James Ed Sr.

5-16-78

Hickerson or Hominy Hollow

Hitt, Morris Monroe Jr.

2-25-80

Confectionery store, Luray Va

Hoffner, Rosie Hurt 10/76, 10/78 Hoover School Area

Housh, Dorothy H.

3-30-78

Resettlement supervisor

Huffman, E.L.

2/23, 3/23-76

Big Foltz Run

Hutton, Mary Sandy

7-29-77

Pine Grove Mission

Jones, Clark and Flora Keyser “Coonie”

7-11-79

Riley Hollow

Jones, Eli T. “Dudley”

12-3-79

Jeremy’s Run

Jones, Erma (Mrs. Taylor) and Lucy Taylor

11-19-79

Kite Hollow

Judd, Austin C.

5-19-77

Judd store

Judd, Gladys Beahm (Mrs. Authur)

4-26, 28-77

Beahm’s Gap

Kenney, Robert B. and Virginia A.

9-8-78

Civilian Conservation Corps, Snead Farm and boyhood

 
BOX 4, KN-NI
 

Knight, Mrs. Josie

12/4, 11/14-81

Pine Grove

Lam, Howard T.

9-21-78

Jolliet Hollow

Lam, Zeda Haney

8-3-78

Swift Run Gap

Lang, Nettie Breeden

6-4-80

Dark Hollow

Long, Mae Atkins

11-28-78

Beahm Hollow

Mace, Herman

8-27-91

Madison Run

Maiden, Howard L.

8/3, 11/3-77

Swift Run

Meadows, Clarice

4-20-79

Sandy Bottom school teacher

Meadows, Cleadus

6-11-79

Thorofare Mountain

Meadows, Hazel and Alice Long Brien

4/5, 11/5-79

Big Meadows

Meadows, Lena (Mrs. D.V.)

12-7,8-77

Jolliet Hollow

Morris, Raymond E.

10-23-79

Buckwheat Patch near Simmons Gap

*Morris, William R.

11-1-79

Near Jenkin’s Hollow

Nicholson, Edward S., Sr.

4-19-77

?

Nicholson, Leroy

5-16-79

Weakley Hollow

Nicholson, Nelson M. and Claudia

11-28-77

Hughes River

 
BOX 5, NI-WA
 

Nicholson, Ray A.

8-14-79, 11-14-79

Nicholson Hollow

*Patterson, Allen

4-13-79

Cattle grazing at Ivy Branch

Rickard, Blanche

10-27-79

Thornton Gap and Frazier Hollow

Ross, Charles J.

10-16-78

Mountain medical care

Samuels, Edith Alger

9-17-79

Jolliet Hollow

*Seale, Jesse E.

10-17-77

Old Rag Mountain

Shifflet, Mr. and Mrs. E. Pat

7-30-79

Bacon Hollow

*Shifflett, Carl

8-22-77

General mountain life

Shifflett, Irvin “Peents” Lydia Shifflet, Mr. and Mrs. John P. Roach and Bennie Cupp

4-29-79

Rocky Bar area

Sisk, Jake

12-16-78

Central Station (east)

Smith, Pearl Williams (Mrs. Benton)

9-24-77

West side of Lee Highway

Snow, Etta and Charlie R. Snow (son)

5-7,8, 10/27-78

Pocosin Hollow and Pocosin Mountain (recorded on site)

Sutherland, Margueritte

4-13-79

 

*Taylor, David M.

10-26-77

Jolliet Hollow (recorded on site)

Twyman, Davis

11-21-77

Syria,Va.

Waterhouse, Wilfred T. and Beatrice M.

6-20-77

Pre-park missionaries

Waters, Cletus

3-19-80

Rocky Branch store

 
BOX 6, WE-YA
  

Weaver, Delmar F.

12-9-77

Mountain medicine

Wood, Mr. and Mrs. Gordon

5-30-79

Simmons Gap

Wood, Luther and Myra Sandice (African – American)

10-15-79

Albermarle County

Wood, Raymond P.

9-4, 14-77

Fence Mountain pasture

*Woodward, Myrtle B. (Mrs. Willie)

11-23-77

General mountain life

*Yager, Dennis P., Nelson Jenkins and Wesley Gray

6-2-78

Mountain music

Yager, Mattie

4-25-78

Old Rag Mountain

Yarrow, Darrel and John P. Lillard

7-31-78

Kite Hollow and Nethers Mill


last updated:4/10/09 TH


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