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Interviewee
Berry, George
Identifier
SNP013
Format
1 audio file (running time: 0:55:21)
Interview Number
SNP-13
Date of Interview
9-7-1979
Description
Records the reminiscences of George Berry, who was born in the Cool Springs area near Fishers Gap, Virginia, in a log house on land that would eventually become part of Shenandoah National Park. Describes his early home and family life, school days at the Forrest Dale School, farm chores,and folk remedies. Discusses family gatherings, folk music, bark peeling and local moonshiners. Recalls his experiences working for the New Deal relief programs, the National Youth Administration as a boy, and later for its parent program, the Works Progress Administration. Mr. Berry recalls playing folk music for tourists at scenic stops along Skyline drive. Also discussed are the evictions of families from their homes, subsequently located within park boundaries, and the long term social and economic effects on those people over the following decades.
Rights
The copyright interests in this collection have been transferred to the James Madison University Special Collections Library. For more information, contact the Special Collections Library Reference Desk (library-special@jmu.edu).
Personal Names
Berry, George, Interviews
Family Names
Berry family; Jenkins family
Subjects
Forest Dale School (Va.); United States. Works Progress Administration; United States. National Youth Administration; Mountain people -- Blue Ridge Mountains -- Social life and customs; Mountain life -- Shenandoah River Valley (Va. and W. Va.) -- History; Mountain people -- Virginia -- Shenandoah National Park -- Social life and customs; Rural poor -- Virginia; Farm life -- Appalachian Region, Southern; Country life -- Appalachian Region, Southern; Agriculture -- Appalachian Region, Southern; Food habits -- Appalachian Region, Southern; Folklore -- Shenandoah River Valley (Va. and W. Va.) -- History; Holidays -- Shenandoah River Valley (Va. and W. Va.) -- History; Traditional medicine -- Shenandoah River Valley (Va. and W. Va.);Folk music -- Shenandoah River Valley (Va. and W. Va.);Bark peeling -- Virginia -- Page County -- History; Bark peeling -- Virginia -- Madison County -- History; Forest products industry -- Shenandoah River Valley (Va. and W. Va.) -- History; Distilling, Illicit -- Virginia; Land use -- Government policy -- United States.
Place Names
Fishers Gap (Va.) – History; Madison County (Va.) -- History ; Page County (Va.) -- History ;Shenandoah River Valley (Va. and W. Va.) -- Manners and customs ;Shenandoah National Park (Va.) -- History, Local.
Interviewer
Smith, Dorothy Noble, 1915-1999
Transcriber
Marston, Sharon G.
Collection Title
Shenandoah National Park oral history collection
Collection Number
SdArch SNP
Recommended Citation
George Berry interviewed by Dorothy Noble Smith, September 7, 1979, SdArch SNP-13, Shenandoah National Park Oral History Collection, 1964-1999, Special Collections, Carrier Library, James Madison University
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