Bland County is one of the smallest counties of the Old Dominion; yet it is filled with spectacular; unspoiled; scenic vistas that rival any rural area on the North American continent. Bland County is a tree-covered paradise with no incorporated towns; and about one-third of the countyrsquo;s 369 square miles are included in the Jefferson National Forest. The history of Bland County after the arrival of European settlers includes stories of patriotism; independence; as well as struggles against incredible odds. The Virginia General Assembly formed Bland County on March 30; 1861. The county has always been for progress; with lumber companies arriving in the late 19th century to harvest the countyrsquo;s vast timber resources and the railroad following at the start of the 20th century. Bland County was also home to a huge Civilian Conservation Corps camp in the 1930s. From communities like Ceres to No Business and Hicksville to Bland; the entire county has a great story to tell.
#2754900 in eBooks 2002-07-31 2002-07-31File Name: B00945AFCA
Review
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. This is a quick local history book. mostly made ...By My Two CentsThis is a quick local history book. mostly made of historic photos presenting Route 15 in Connecticut. which is known in Fairfield County as the Merritt Parkway. in lower New Haven County as the Wilbur Cross Parkways. and points north of Meriden as the Berlin Turnpike. I found it interesting seeing local landmarks. such as the West Rock Tunnel. and the Charter Oak Bridge under construction.0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Fell short on contentBy Dolores CarronThe Berlin Turnpike and Merritt Parkway were very busy and offered a lot of services prior to Interstate 91 being built. The book showed only a small portion of its true activity. I wanted to read and see much more.3 of 3 people found the following review helpful. Another must-have for CT highway buffsBy Scott OglesbyConsider "Route 15" a follow-on to Larneds 1998 "Traveling the Merritt Parkway." It covers more ground. both geographical and chronological. but offers a similar mix of historical information and vintage photographs for road buffs and car buffs.Larned starts with the Merritt Parkway: a bit of an overlap with the earlier book. but I didnt notice anything duplicated. Also covered is the Wilbur Cross Parkway (which was lightly treated in "Merritt") and Berlin Turnpike. There are some nice photos of the short-lived Connecticut River Boulevard (which I hadnt heard of until reading "Route 15") and a good treatment of the construction of the Charter Oak Bridge.East of the bridge. the Wilbur Cross Highway gets a few pages; perhaps this 1950s road will be highlighted in "The Road to Boston" :-)If you have read "Traveling the Merritt Parkway". heres how "Route 15" compares: Same layout; narrative driven by historical photos; generally ordered from south to north as you read. Theres a bit more written information here than in "Merritt". Theres a little more roadside culture. especially in the Berlin Turnpike section. and Larned diligently identifies all the classic cars youll see in the photos. Like "Merritt". "Route 15" is made for skimming or reading straight through. Theres no index. but given the geographical organization. its 128 pages are not that much to search through.For Connecticut roadgeeks. this books a keeper. and we want to see more from this author. But "Route 15" should also hold interest for car buffs. historians. and even commuters wondering what the roads were like decades ago. and how they ended up where they are now.
