Not Just a Scenic Road: The Blue Ridge Parkway and Its History

“Not Just a Scenic Road: The Blue Ridge Parkway and Its History” is a week-long Landmarks of American History and Culture workshop sponsored by the National Endowment for the Humanities and part of the NEH’s We the People initiatives. The workshop is hosted by Appalachian State University, which is located less than five miles from the Blue Ridge Parkway in Boone, North Carolina. Participants will have a chance to experience the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains while learning about the history behind the most visited National Park Service site. Based on the campus of Appalachian State University, participants will spend mornings in combination lecture and discussions along with hands-on sessions working with a variety of primary sources. Participants will also collect materials and ideas for use in developing curriculum projects. Each afternoon, the workshop members will go on field trips to explore many of the cultural resources along the Parkway. Evenings will be free to explore the Appalachian Mountain town of Boone, work in the state of the art library, or relax at one of the many local coffee shops while enjoying some traditional Appalachian music. Throughout the week, participants will have many chances to interact with faculty who are experts on the history of the Blue Ridge Parkway and the region of Appalachia as well as meet rangers and managers from the National Park Service. Read about this exciting opportunity on their web page.

“Not Just a Scenic Road: The Blue Ridge Parkway ad Its History” is one of twenty Landmarks of American History teacher workshops that will be held this summer at historic and cultural sites across the United States. The workshops are part of the Endowment’s We the People initiative to encourage and strengthen the teaching, study, and understanding of American history and culture. More than 2,000 teachers from across the United States will participate in these workshops. All teachers selected to participate will receive a stipend of $500. Additional money for travel is available on a case-by-cases basis. Public, private, and home school K–12 educators may apply. Applications are due by March 17, 2008. Contact: Dr. Neva J. Specht, BRP NEH, Department of history, Appalachian State University, Boone, NC 28608. E-mail: brpasu@appstate.edu.