Steve Frey
It winds through North Carolina, Virginia and into West Virginia. It is said to be second in age to only the Tigris and Euphrates. It is the New River.
Mark Twain once wrote about the Mississippi: “The face of the river, in time, became a wonderful book…which told its mind to me without reserve, delivering its most cherished secrets as clearly as if it had uttered them with a voice. And it was not a book to be read once and thrown aside, for it had a new story to tell every day.”
The New River is like that book. It has secrets and stories to tell to those who are searching, and it is continually changing. It flows incessantly through the mountains, making its way between stone-walled canyons and flourishing banks. The river is intertwined with everything surrounding it. It has a living presence.
When the Appalachian Mountains rose through the centuries, the New River rose with them. Changing seasons, harsh storms and, of course, people, have all contributed to the river’s story over time.
When you float down the river, you are joining thousands of individuals who have enjoyed the very same experience in the past.
Native Americans first encountered the river thousands of years ago. Traveling along the banks and blazing trails, they followed the river hundreds of miles to always more abundant hunting grounds.
They knew where to place canoes for crossing. They recognized landmarks. They remembered where to climb to higher ground before the sheer walls dipped into the river, where to portage and where to camp for the night.
Most of all, the river meant life to them.
The first settlers on the frontier understood that, too.
They carved out small towns in the forests along the river. As time went on, all of those towns became gathering places with a general store and one or more churches.
Eggleston is a good example. It is near a beautiful part of the river called the Palisades, with stone walls jutting high out over the water. Today, an original general store has been made into the Palisades Restaurant, with NRV-grown food and music. Eggleston is still a gathering place.
Down the river is another small town called Draper, and there a general store has also been made into a restaurant and a place to buy unique goods, the Draper Mercantile. You can ride bikes or hike on the nearby New River Trail, which eventually follows along the river on what used to be a railroad track. For miles and miles, you can experience being a part of the ancient story that is the New River.
A few miles from another part of the river that is now Claytor Lake is the small town of Newbern. Newbern was initially settled by Swiss immigrants and named after Bern, Switzerland.
On the main street of Newbern are many of the original buildings from its settlement. If you get a chance to visit the town, which used to be the county seat of Pulaski County, be sure to check out the Wilderness Road Regional Museum. Its rooms are furnished in 1800’s style, and it has several outbuildings. Across from the museum, there is even the old jail. When you stroll down Newbern Road, the main street, you are carried back in time to a small village in the early settlement of the New River Valley.
Then, of course, there is Radford, Virginia’s River City. A large section of Radford’s city limits is defined by a big curve of the New River.
Thousands of settlers heading west traversed the river on William Ingles’ ferry. How many times did Ingles make that crossing, taking families to new homes and new lives? Imagine all of the hopes and dreams that have passed across that river.
William Ingles’ wife, Mary Draper Ingles, had her own river story to tell, and you can see it portrayed in the outdoor drama “Walk to Freedom: The Mary Draper Ingles Story” at the Nesselrod Bed and Breakfast. There are nine dates to choose from this summer (June 22, 23 and 24 and July 13, 14, 15, 27, 28 and 29), and you will be inspired by the story of her long walk back from Shawnee captivity to her home in the NRV.
When you are floating down the river near Bisset Park, you might see people fishing, just as they have for hundreds of years. Perhaps you’ll witness a fish jump, a heron fly by or a giant turtle rise through the water near you.
As you glide along, you are a part of the river, part of the current that carries you and has carried people like you for as long as the river and people have coexisted here. Many others have enjoyed the sun on their backs and the breeze in their hair. They knew what it was like to feel the power of the river as the imposing mass of water carries you along gently, yet emphatically.
All along the river, there are small towns just like Eggleston where people have lived for hundreds of years. The river courses past places with names like New River, Allisonia, Hiwassee, Pembroke, Pearisburg, Narrows and many more.
This summer, as you travel from one fun activity in the NRV to another (check this edition’s special insert, Summer in the NRV, for ideas.), become a part of the story of the river yourself. Write your own chapters and experience all of the history, recreation and adventures the NRV offers.
Most of all, experience the New River itself, which defines this area with its crystal clear water, abundant wildlife and endless beauty. It is continually changing and always renewing itself, yet it remains as steady and familiar as the mountains surrounding it.
It has shaped the lives of the many thousands of people who’ve experienced it, settled its towns, and realized its possibilities.
Hopefully, you will take time to explore the New River for yourself this summer, and you can create your own unforgettable chapter in this river’s remarkable story.
Steve Frey is a writer and CEO of Ascendant Educational Services based in Radford.
