Last week, I attended the Patrick County Tourism Summit, which was held in Fayerdale Hall at Fairy Stone State Park. By the way, James Houchins, the Director of Tourism and Marketing is doing a terrific job for Patrick County, as is Rebecca Jackson Adcock, executive director of the Chamber of Commerce.
One of the presenters was Leesa Sutton Brandon, External Affairs Specialist for the National Park Service and the Blue Ridge Parkway. I am still terribly concerned about the fate of the Rocky Knob Housekeeping Cabins and asked Ms. Brandon what could be done to save the cabins.
Ms. Brandon stated that there is just not enough money in the National Park Service (NPS) budget to maintain the parks as they have looked in the past. The NPS depends on the Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation, other donors, and volunteers to help with maintenance and historic preservation. Ms. Brandon stated that the following news release was published on February 6, 2024.
Contact: BLRI Public Affairs
NC/VA –The National Park Service announces a Request for Expressions of Interest (RFEI) seeking responses from individuals, educational institutions, government agencies or entities, and non-profit or for-profit organizations, interested in the preservation and re-use of one or more historic facilities on the Blue Ridge Parkway. The facilities in this RFEI are all former concession operations, and include:
| Milepost | Facility | Square Footage | Description | Near |
| 60.8 | Otter Creek Restaurant and Gift Shop | 3,190 | 57-seat restaurant and gift shop | James River/Lynchburg, VA |
| 165 | Rocky Knob Cabins | 4,678 | 7 rustic cabins, managers house, and shower house | Floyd and Meadows of Dan, VA |
| 241.1 | Bluffs Lodge (Units A & B) | 7,953 | 24 rooms for guests, plus additional room in basement | Sparta, NC |
The RFEI process encourages individuals and/or organizations to submit business concepts regarding the future use of these facilities, considering the park’s purpose. This RFEI is issued solely for information and planning purposes and does not constitute a Request for Proposal (RFP) or a promise to issue an RFP in the future.
The locations offered in this RFEI are eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places. All have been unoccupied for some time and will require maintenance and repair to varying degrees.
The National Park Service will evaluate responses to the RFEI to inform the next stage in planning for these business opportunities. Interested commercial entities can e-mail us to request a full copy of the RFEI, including submission criteria. The RFEI is also available on the “Doing Business With Us” page of the Parkway’s website. Responses to the RFEI are due by April 30. Blue Ridge Parkway (VA/NC), 199 Hemphill Knob Road, Asheville, NC 28803, or call the office at (828) 348-3420.
I asked Ms. Brandon if it was possible for the Commonwealth of Virginia to take over the part of Rocky Knob NPS park where the housekeeping cabins were located, and she stated that could be a possibility. A quick Google search shows that twenty-six national parks have been turned over to the state where they are located or to the National Forest Service. I have written about the cabins before and suggested contacting the NPS Blue Ridge Parkway headquarters in Asheville to see what can be done, but I myself received no response. I think the next best option is contacting our state delegate, senator, and the governor or commercial entities that might be willing to take over the cabins.
When you look at the recently restored Fairy Stone cabins, built by the CCC boys and managed by the Virginia State Park system, and then look at the Rocky Knob cabins built by the CCC boys and managed by the National Park Service, the difference is glaringly obvious. It is heartbreaking to think that those historic cabins are going to be lost to the ages, due to lack of funding.
While the CCC boys did not build the Blue Ridge Parkway, they did a huge amount of support work. At Rocky Knob, the CCC boys built the picnic area, the Appalachian Trail shelter, (remember, at this time, the AT crossed Rocky Knob) and at least ten miles of trails. And trees! The CCC boys planted hundreds of trees to replace the American chestnut that had been lost to blight in the previous decades.
Before Camp 363’s dissolvement in 1941, CCC workers constructed special trail lodges as part of a “rough it” camp designed for Boy Scouts. In 1950, the NPS converted these cabins into the Rocky Knob Housekeeping Cabins.
I have written to my delegate, my state senator, and the governor, and challenge you to do the same; these historical cabins built by these young men are too precious to lose. Next week, we will take a more in-depth look at the young men of CCC Camp 363 in Rock Castle Gorge.
Woody may be reached at rockcastlecreek1@gmail.com or (276) 692-9626.
