Thanks for bringing up VDOT. I contacted most of the local VDOT offices
located in the areas I was studying, and didn't receive much help. If it
isn't something they are currently working on, they generally can't focus
much time on it. A very similar story when contacting the local
planning/GIS/public works folks for the counties.
VDOT records takings and road expansions in the State Highway Plat books
located in each localities circuit court records room. Unfortunately, the
habit of keeping these kinds of records recorded in that location doesn't
seem to start until after 1950. Even then, most of the roads I've been
studying haven't been changed since the 1930's or 1940's.
Thank you all for your help.
Best,
ahd
On 9/20/06, John P. Adams <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
>
> Doesn't Virginia have a department of transportation? The highway
> departments of all states are great repositories of land and
> transportation
> information. They are usually in the mix on the condemnation or eminent
> domain issues.
> Just a thought for another resource.
>
> John Philip Adams
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Discussion of research and writing about Virginia history
> [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Janet Hunter
> Sent: Wednesday, September 20, 2006 11:30 AM
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: Roads and Land Records: Shenandoah National Park
>
> Andrew,
>
> I have read most of the other responses. My own response is a little bit
> different, though I think Eric mentioned plat maps. I think that if you
> really
> want a picture of the location of your roads before the National Park
> bought
> everybody out, you should consider going to the newspapers, libraries,
> genealogy societies, historical societies in the individual counties and
> regions
> (Virginia is big on regional libraries) that were involved in that buyout
> of
> the original settlers (which was NOT a pretty picture).
>
> My experience is that these resources are more likely to have older maps,
> etc. They also might have old local phone and business directories with
> maps
> in the front showing the primary arteries in the counties, so that people
> can
> locate their neighbors. Often plat maps don't highlight roads because
> they
> are designed towards real estate concerns/property lines and not towards
> just
> being, well maps for the common person travelling. Plat maps also
> aren't
> topgraphical as a rule.
>
> As an online start, I would recommend that you join the rootsweb
> (genealogy)
> mailing lists for each of these counties and their neighbors. Then place
> your query there. Most of these lists have subscribers who are folks who
> still
> live there or did recently or have good contacts. Who knows. They may
> know
> people that are still holed up in the Park making moonshine, but I doubt
> they'll tell you! (I read too much Sharyn McCrumb).
>
> What I do know is that there are still hard feelings amongst the families
> and their descendants who were displaced by the Park. They may be happy
> to
> help you and your project.
>
> Here is the Rootsweb link for the Virginia Mailing lists. Instructions
> on
> subscribing are at each link
>
> _http://lists.rootsweb.com/index/usa/VA/_
> (http://lists.rootsweb.com/index/usa/VA/)
>
> Best Regards,
> Janet Hunter
>
>
> In a message dated 9/20/2006 11:19:41 A.M. Eastern Standard Time,
> [log in to unmask] writes:
>
> . In partiuclar, I'm focusing my work on six roads
> located in Warren County, Rappahannock County, Page County,
> and Rockingham
> County.
>
>
>
>
>
> To subscribe, change options, or unsubscribe, please see the instructions
> at http://listlva.lib.va.us/archives/va-hist.html
>
> To subscribe, change options, or unsubscribe, please see the instructions
> at http://listlva.lib.va.us/archives/va-hist.html
>
--
Andrew H. Deci
Architectural Historian
Dovetail Cultural Resource Group, LLC
304/216-3104
[log in to unmask]
Fredericksburg, Va. 22401
To subscribe, change options, or unsubscribe, please see the instructions
at http://listlva.lib.va.us/archives/va-hist.html
|
