Warren County

Warren County Families Displaced for the Creation of Shenandoah National Park

This monument honors the Warren County families who once lived, worked, worshiped, and built communities in the Blue Ridge Mountains before the creation of Shenandoah National Park. During the late 1920s and 1930s, the Commonwealth of Virginia acquired mountain lands through purchase and eminent domain for transfer to the federal government, leading to the displacement of hundreds of families throughout eight counties, including Warren County. More than 500 families and individuals were ultimately required to leave their homes and livelihoods so the park could be established.

​

The stone chimney serves as a powerful symbol of those mountain homes. Often, a chimney was the last structure left standing after a house disappeared, making it a lasting reminder of the families who called these mountains home. The names inscribed here commemorate the men, women, and children whose lives were forever changed by relocation and whose heritage remains an important part of the history of Warren County and the Blue Ridge. 

Created through the efforts of the Blue Ridge Heritage Project, this monument recognizes both the sacrifices made by displaced residents and the enduring legacy of the communities that once flourished in the mountains now protected as Shenandoah National Park.