Cumberland Gap

We left General Burnside State Park on our way to Cumberland Gap. The weather was not great, rained most of the way and we stopped for the night at a Walmart in Middlesboro, Kentucky.

We left Saturday morning and stopped at the visitor center of the Cumberland Gap National Park. We walked around, and saw a short movie on Dr. Thomas Walker, who worked for the Loyal Land Company as a surveyor. He became the first white man to explore, describe and document the route to the Gap. The most famous name associated with Cumberland Gap is Daniel Boone. Beginning in 1775, he began escorting settlers through the Gap, including the grandparents and parents of Abraham Lincoln.

This is a picture of a mural on the wall. Daniel Boone leading the way.



These days it is much easier to get through the Gap.


We are now staying at an RV park in Big Stone Gap, Virginia. You sure can tell we are in the mountains because we haven't used the air conditioner since we got here. Weather has been beautiful with nightime temps in the mid 60's. Great sleeping weather!!

Today we visited the Southwest Virginia Museum. This museum is housed in a mansion originally built in the 1880's by Rufus Ayers, a Virginia attorney general.


The Slemp Foundation, established by C. Bascom Slemp, gave the home to the Commonwealth of Virginia. There are 3 floors of exhibits many about the early days of the frontier life and then on to the mining of coal and iron ore. After the Civil War, northern businessman wanted to turn Big Stone Gap into the Pittsburgh of the South. It became a prosperous town but nothing like they dreamed.


Tomorrow we are moving on again. We are slowly working our way toward the Richmond area and a family visit.