Blog

Catch up on the latest news about our efforts to protect the Blue Ridge Parkway.

Photo by A. Armstrong

Happy Days Ahead for The Bluffs Restaurant

November 26, 2019
Note: Ellen Woodruff Smith passed away on February 12. Paul Smith passed on May 5, 2021. For so many people who enjoy fond memories of Bluffs Coffee Shop, the stories go beyond the ham biscuits, pan-fried chicken, and berry cobbler. A big part of the charm of stopping in for a home-style meal was the welcoming staff, including server Ellen Woodruff Smith, who worked at The Bluffs from the day it opened on May 31, 1949, to the day it closed on November 1, 2010. 
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Our CEO wins award for championing natural and cultural heritage

November 7, 2019
We are so thrilled to announce that the Foundation’s CEO, Dr. Carolyn Ward, was recently honored with the William C. Everhart Award by the Clemson University Institute for Parks in recognition of sustained achievements that provide creative insights and that foster an appreciation of our natural and cultural heritage.
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Of Valley & Ridge art show raises funds to support Blue Ridge Parkway

October 15, 2019
As the sun set on Zealandia on Friday, October 11, guests arrived for an evening of art, jazz, food and drinks, and for an exclusive first chance to view and purchase Blue Ridge Parkway-inspired plein air pieces. The historic mansion on Beaucatcher was the venue for this year’s Of Valley & Ridge: A Scenic Journey Through the Blue Ridge Parkway, an art show benefiting the Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation and presented by First Citizens Bank. 
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A Celebration for Mabry Mill

October 10, 2019
Dozens of community members, project donors, and representatives from National Park Foundation and National Park Service joined our staff on October 3 to celebrate the replacement of the old flume at Mabry Mill and installation of new shake roofs on additional historic buildings at the site. 
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Operator sought for The Bluffs Restaurant on the Blue Ridge Parkway

October 1, 2019
Do you want to reopen a beloved restaurant on the Blue Ridge Parkway? Here is your chance! The Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation, in cooperation with the National Park Service, is looking for a visionary partner to operate The Bluffs Restaurant. Renovations to the restaurant will begin this fall, and the reopening is slated for 2020. The restaurant at milepost 241 on the Blue Ridge Parkway near Sparta, N.C., was a favorite among travelers and locals alike.
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Denim Ball raises over $200,000 for Moses H. Cone Memorial Park

September 4, 2019
With Flat Top Manor as the backdrop, the fourth annual Denim Ball welcomed more than 200 guests on Thursday, August 22. It was the first time the Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation hosted the event at Moses H. Cone Memorial Park. Thanks to our guests, the sold-out event raised more than $200,000 to fund continued restoration efforts at the historic manor! The evening was more than a fundraiser; it was truly a celebration of the community’s deep commitment to this estate listed on the National Register of Historic places.
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Find your Blue Ridge Parkway passion project

May 31, 2019
Bolstering rare plant populations. Archiving and sharing photographs of the Blue Ridge Parkway’s past. Revealing obscured views at overlooks. Repairs to a historic mill. We are asking donors to support these projects and additional initiatives that will enhance the scenic route and share its stories with millions of visitors. Each year, the Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation works with the National Park Service to select projects that will connect visitors with the park’s natural wonders and history and sustain the park for generations to come.
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Plan a summer of sound at the Blue Ridge Music Center

April 19, 2019
The Blue Ridge Music Center is hosting an exceptional lineup of performers for the Roots of American Music summer concert series with shows in the outdoor amphitheater at 7 p.m., Saturdays, Memorial Day through Labor Day, at milepost 213 on the Blue Ridge Parkway near Galax, Virginia. 
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Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation to temporarily reopen Parkway Visitor Center in Asheville

January 25, 2019
Update (January 28, 2019):  With the enactment of the continuing resolution, staff along the Blue Ridge Parkway resumed regular winter operations beginning Monday, January 28, 2019.  The National Park Service reminds visitors to remain patient as Parkway staff begin to assess road conditions on the sections of Parkway that remain closed due to debris and winter weather conditions.
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A Guide to the Government Shutdown on the Blue Ridge Parkway

January 9, 2019
Update (January 25, 2019): The Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation is paying for National Park Service staff members to reopen the Visitor Center in Asheville at milepost 384 on the Parkway for three weekends. The center will be open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday and Sunday, January 26-27, and Friday through Sunday, February 1-3 and February 8-10. We are also requesting donations and recruiting volunteers to assist with the recovery work that will be required after the partial government shutdown ends.
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Bluffs Restaurant gets a new roof

November 19, 2018
Thanks to your gifts, the new roof at the former Bluffs Restaurant at Doughton Park is complete! The facility at milepost 241 near Sparta, N.C., is now one step closer to reopening. The concrete shingles were replaced with Enviroshake shingles, which are easier and less costly to maintain.
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Foundation raising match for new grants to rehab Flat Top Manor

November 15, 2018
The rehabilitation effort at Moses H. Cone Memorial Park is in for a big boost. The Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation and National Park Service are pleased to announce that three projects focused on repairs to Flat Top Manor, milepost 294, have been selected to receive Centennial Challenge grants awarded by Congress.
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Blue Ridge Parkway announces temporary closures for maintenance

November 8, 2018
An announcement from the National Park Service: (NC/VA) –National Park Service maintenance personnel are conducting boom axe operations in multiple locations along the 469-mile Blue Ridge Parkway between now and the end of the year. Visitors should anticipate intermittent and temporary closures in active work zones as indicated.Both lanes of the Parkway will be closed to all activity (cars, bicycles, and hikers) in active work zones to ensure the safety of the maintenance workers as well as Parkway visitors.
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Successful Of Valley & Ridge art show raises funds for the Blue Ridge Parkway

October 30, 2018
A great mingling of art creators and aficionados and Blue Ridge Parkway lovers celebrated the opening night for our benefit art show, Of Valley & Ridge: A Scenic Journey Through the Blue Ridge Parkway, hosted in collaboration with The Saints of Paint at Zealandia in Asheville, North Carolina. We’d like to thank everyone who attended the event on Friday and visited throughout the weekend to purchase art.
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Looking Sharp at Sharp Top

September 27, 2018
Sharp Top Shelter is looking its best thanks to your support! This summer, a crew with the National Park Service repaired and reset the windows, sills, and door frames, replaced the roof, and painted the clapboard siding on the structure at Peaks of Otter in Virginia. The most noticeable improvement is the removal of prolific graffiti that marred the charm of the circa-1850s building. You can still make a gift to show your appreciation for the rehab of this hikers’ haven.
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Open air painters find inspiration on the Parkway for benefit art show

September 27, 2018
As we travel the Blue Ridge Parkway, most of us capture the awe-inspiring scenes with a camera. But if you’ve been exploring the park recently, you just might have encountered one of the many artists working en plein air, a French expression meaning “in the open air,” to capture the wonders of the mountains on canvas. Sitting in front of small easels with brushes and paint-smeared palettes in hand, these artists leave the walls of the studio behind to experience painting amid the landscape and fresh air.  
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2018 Denim Ball raises $115,000 for Moses H. Cone Memorial Park

August 6, 2018
Mother Nature was gracious and parted the rain clouds just in time for the third annual Denim Ball on Friday evening at Chetola Resort. The event raised $115,000 for repairs and improvements at Moses H. Cone Memorial Park thanks to an outpouring of support from individuals, sponsors, local businesses, and the community. More than 230 people attended to celebrate the remaking of history at the estate located at milepost 294 on the Blue Ridge Parkway near Blowing Rock, North Carolina.
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Online bidding open for special auction items ahead of Denim Ball

July 31, 2018
To kick off the auction bidding during the third annual Denim Ball, the Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation is hosting an online auction featuring three fantastic items. It’s a great opportunity for those who can’t attend the event to get in on the auction fun and support Moses H. Cone Memorial Park.
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