The Valley Road

by Fay Ingalls

This book is a facsimile reprint and may contain imperfections such as marks, notations, marginalia and flawed pages.

Genres: History

293 pages, Hardcover

First published March 1, 1949

Reviews

[Tom · Rating 5 out of 5]

This 1949 history of the valley in Bath County, Virginia, that's home to healing waters such as Warm Springs, Hot Springs and Healing Springs is a nostalgic look back at rural life in the first half of the 20th century. Written by a member of the family that founded the famous Homestead resort, it's a fascinating recounting of the vicissitudes of running a large resort hotel in an out-of-the-way location during times that occasionally stressed it and its owners near to the breaking point. Had the founding family not "come from money" and thus had the ability to weather the devastating effects of the Depression and WW II (when The Homestead was briefly used as an internment camp for several hundred Japanese diplomats and their families), I doubt it would have survived and still be hosting guests today. I recommend this book for anyone who has spent time in the western Virginia mountains, be it in a camp, hunting, fishing, golfing or staying at The Homestead. Though somewhat dated and, therefore, by today's standards somewhat politically incorrect in various ways, it's charming and very readable.

[Janet · Rating 3 out of 5]

What made this book interesting is that it was written about a certain place by someone who lived and breathed the place. It was fascinating to see the development and change of an area through the eyes of, not only someone who lived there, but someone who was influential in that development and loved it dearly. At points the read gets into some minutia and at other points it gets a little dry, but it's largely an easy read of one of the most beautiful places in the United States.