Burke's Garden
Around 1995, I purchased a topographic atlas of Virginia. Within minutes, I found the state’s most topographically unique feature: Burke’s Garden in Tazewell County - a 20,000 acre very distinct thumbprint in the mountains. Surrounded by a sea of seemingly random topographic contours, the symmetry of Burke’s Garden pops off the page. Being the state’s highest valley only adds to its uniqueness. Ever since ’95, I’ve been infatuated, but due to its distance from my home (and any other form of civilization) I’ve been unable to scratch Burke’s off the wish list until today.
In the 1880s, Burke’s Garden also became the infatuation of George Washington Vanderbilt. It was his first location choice for building the enormous Biltmore Estate, America’s largest private residence. But the farmers in the valley refused to sell even one acre to Vanderbilt since they valued the fertile soil and quiet solitude of Burke’s Garden as priceless. To them, it was more important to pass their lush valley along to their children than sell to a descendant of extreme wealth.
To get to Burke’s from the interstate, you better have a good driver who knows about switch-backing mountain roads. Four large ridges need to be crossed in an area not far from Virginia’s highest mountain. The final crossing is the sole paved access road into Burkes. It was a dizzying drive, but amid spectacular weather today, it also was dazzling.
Upon entering Burke’s Garden, I sensed I had reached the quintessential definition of peaceful valley. As the 360-degree view opened up, the symmetric, bowl-like features of this valley are immediately apparent. The mountain ridges another thousand feet above the valley floor hide this geographic gem from the outside world, and add a peaceful, protected feeling to its inhabitants and wide-eyed visitors.
The valley’s five mile loop road is the perfect route to take in the unique community where everything seems singular: one general store, one church, one school, one drainage stream, one fire truck, one cemetery, and one access road. The succinctness of Burke’s Garden is Zen-like and distinctly beautiful. The exclusivity is even reflected in its road signs where the direction and distance to individual family homes are displayed.
The beauty of this place is astounding, though pictures and even words fail to capture the essence. Simply put, a trip to Burke’s Garden is about a feeling. And hours after leaving this beautiful thumbprint-shaped valley, a reflective peaceful feeling lingered.
Prior to today, marking Burke’s Garden off my wish list was an infatuation. Having now tasted its essence, a second bowl of Burke’s peacefulness has jumped right back on my wish list.
