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“And in the great big picture, it’s just the twinkle of an eye”
Dave Mallett
The environment, people, and history of Rappahannock County are all inextricably linked to the Blue Ridge Mountains, the Virginia Piedmont, and the Shenandoah Valley. No matter whether we are relative newcomers Or descendents of early settlers the breathtaking physical beauty of this place and the quiet pace of country life, both set against the backdrop of the ancient mountains, attract and retain us as they have others for centuries. And, just as in the past, our interaction with one another and this magnificent environment has both tangible and intangible implications for the future.
From our vantage point, it is possible to divide County history into several eras, one stretching backward and nearly boundless, the other two of much more recent vintage. Of special interest in all three periods are the interactions of human beings, the use (and misuse) of natural resources, and the prevailing concepts regarding land ownership, use, and preservation. As time marches forward, these several topics seem to take on greater importance. But they were just as important to our forbearers. In this and future articles, we plan to illustrate out how these matters have played out in the past. But first, a very broad brush and admittedly simplistic introduction:
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