Facts and Folklore between milepost 216 - 248

• Where the Parkway Began...Cumberland Knob in Alleghany County was where ground was first broken in the construction of the Parkway in 1935.
• The Lost Province - Alleghany County was known as the "lost province" because of its isolation. Nowadays the county is referred as the "unspoiled province" because of its preserved, scenic beauty.
• The Old "New" - Did you know that The New River, which flows through Alleghany County, is the second oldest river in the world? This billion years old river was named an American Heritage River in 1998 by President Clinton who visited the area to present the designation. The New is also the only river in the eastern US that flows northward to the mid-west. The River was named in honor of the ferry operator Mr. New.
• Alleghany - The word, "Alleghany," is said to come from an Indian word meaning, "a fine stream."
• White Lightning - Did you know that still made whiskey (aka moonshine, corn likker, or white lightning) was heartily made in Alleghany County--first by pioneers, and then by locals during the Great Depression who bartered with the moonshine to buy staples like flour, sugar, etc. Back then, a moonshiner making whiskey to raise money to feed his family was not thought of as a criminal. Today, though, stiff penalties including jail time are given if caught selling moonshine.
• Minerals - During the Civil War, many minerals including iron, were mined in Alleghany County.Other minerals such as copper and gray granite were also plentiful.