Highland County is in the rugged Allegheny Mountains on the western upland side of the Shenandoah Valley. In 1847, 416 square miles of spectacular and rugged mountain terrain were formed into Highland County out of portions of Bath and Pendleton counties. The county received its name from its prevailing high altitude; it has one of the highest mean elevations of any county east of the Mississippi River. It is now called "Little Switzerland" by many. Wool remains one of Highland's major agricultural commodities. In 1990, the county ranked third in the state in the number of sheep.

Editor's note: In the summer of 2004, I and my wife spent three days exploring Highland County, tracing the origins of the James River all the way south, out of the county, to where the Jackson joins the James. We did the Bullpasture, Cowpasture, and were on myriad gravel and dirt roads throughout the county. I took some of the most wonderful photos ever of this, one of my favorite counties in the state. All photos were lost in a major hard drive crash, which explains why there is not as much here as I would like. I'll be heading back up in the spring to do it all again.

An alluring bench along the Jackson River

That's gotta be my bench! As you travel out of Monterey, heading south on US 220, you will parallel the Jackson River at some point as it makes its way south to form the James River, Virginia's longest river. But keep your eyes peeled to the left, and you'll spot that bench. Now, how do you get over there with your lunch to forget about the world? October 17, 2004

Valleys can get long and narrow, the Wright Farm

This is the Wright Farm, on US 220 south of Monterey. There is a lot in this photo that talks to the physiography of the Valleys & Ridges Province, and Highland County. First, the valley in which this farm is situated is long and narrow. This photo was taken from the road, and on the other side of the road is a steep ridge. Look carefully behind the house in the middle and then off to the left and you will see there is a ridge rising to the left as well. If you could see on the other side of the home, you would see the narrow valley continuing on. Second, the Jackson River, which ultimately forms the mighty James River to the south, goes through the farm, mid-photo, left to right. It is fed by numerous drafts, creeks and streams coming down the ridges and working there way along the base of the ridges through and across valleys to get to the Jackson. Third, the land is rough, not good for crops, but great for sheep, which is what the Wrights raise here. They also have female donkeys to scare away the mountain lions. Finally, this is a beautiful farm and area, awesome. October 17, 2004

South Branch of Potomac River, near Bluegrass

The source or headwaters of the Potomac River is said to be in the Appalachian Mountains of West Virginia. This is the Potomac's South Branch, near a town called Bluegrass, Virginia, which is close to the West Virginia border. The South Branch of the Potomac originates in Hightown, Virginia. Interestingly, while the headwaters ultimately forming the Potomac River flow out of the mountains of West Virginia and Virginia in a northeasterly and later easterly direction, not far from here are the headwaters of the James River, which start their run to the Atlantic Ocean in a southerly direction.

Monterey vista, the county seat

A vista view of Monterey, the seat of Highland County. This shot was taken as you descend US 250 into the city, from a dirt road off to the right. The town itself is occupied by only a few hundred residents. September 27, 2004.

Highland County as seen from Ft. Johnson

That's Highland County out there. If you take US250 west out of Staunton and climb up to Fort Johnson on top of Shenendoah Mountain, this is the view you get. Right away, you get a sense for the valleys and ridges; we'll take you down into some of them later. You're looking westward, and you are the east side of the county, right on the county line. Proud county residents boast theirs is the highest county west of the Mississippi, and some even called it Virginia's "Little Switzerland." This is fantastic country. September 2, 2004

Highlands Inn, a reminder of a way of life gone by

Highlands Inn, US 250, Monterey, a historical landmark in the national register of historic places. The Highland Inn is in the quaint, picturesque village of Monterey, nestled in the foothills of the Allegheny Mountains. This area is beautiful, unspoiled, and rich in history. Today, the Inn is serving as a reminder of a way of life gone by. The rambling Highland Inn is the premier architectural landmark of this mountain community. Built in 1904 as a resort hotel, the three-story frame structure stands as a symbol of the economic and social history of Western Virginia. Because the town of Monterey is at 3,300 feet, a light blanket is usually needed on summer nights, due to the cooler summer temperatures. Trails and mountaintop roads provide breathtaking panoramas for hikers, horseback riders, and bird watchers alike. We stayed here and loved it. August 5, 2004.

Find the sources of the Potomac River, and you'll find the Ginseng Mountain Store and...

Deborah Ellington, its owner of Ginseng Mountain Store

Both the Potomac and James Rivers originate up in the highlands of the Allegheny Mountains of western Virginia, and their sources originate in Highland County, not far from each other, even though the two rivers travel in quite different directions. If you search for these sources, you'll end up in Monterey, the county seat, and a town named Bluegrass. If you find US 220 intersecting local route 642, you'll find Strait Creek feeding into the South Branch of the Potomac, and right across the street you'll find Deborah Ellington and her Ginseng Mountain Store, filled with all kinds of goodies. The country here is fantastic, so is Deborah, and so is her store. She and her husband are two of many who try to farm but need to find other work projects to fill out their financial requirements. We bought a sheep skin rug for our puppie. Stop by and say hello from us. July 27, 2004.

Return us our individuality!

Miller's Store, Head Waters, Virginia 24442. We found Head Waters, Virginia, in Highland County, said to be the county with the highest elevation east of the Mississippi. This store is a store, gas station, and US Post Office. It is on US 250 northwest of Staunton. We came to this town looking for the "head waters" feeding the James River, Virginia's longest. We started here with Shaws Fork, just outside this photo to the left, and tracked our way south through the James River Watershed until we found the official beginning in Botetourt County, not far from Irongate, which is in nearby Alleghany County. Our question is, why can't we force places like 7-Eleven to build their stores so they fit the architecture and ambience of the old time stores of our individual regions? Our bet is we could, if we cared enough to demand it. Places like 7-Eleven and all the rest of the "neon jungled" places of business and their strip malls are making every one of our towns look the same. We Americans love our heritage and our individuality, and we should start forcing our local representatives to set zoning directives that return our individuality and traditions to us. July 21, 2004

We honor service and sacrifice. Please click the "Donate" button and contribute $20 or more to help keep this station alive. Thanks.

Photo credits: Marek Enterprise

Table of Contents

Monterey: Highlands Inn, a reminder of a way of life gone by

Monterey Vista, the county seat

Bluegrass: Find the sources of the Potomac River, and you'll find the Ginseng Mountain Store and...Deborah Ellington, its owner of Ginseng Mountain Store

Headwaters: Return us our individuality! Miller's Store, Head Waters, Virginia 24442

Jackson River, an alluring bench along the

Johnson, Fort, Highland County as seen from.

Potomac River, South Branch of near Bluegrass

Wright Farm, Valleys can get long and narrow