The book is available for a nominal cost by emailing Robert Yingst at RAYingst@aol.com . See description below. You can view the text version at http://members.aol.com/ssprad25/ViaPages/ViaMountain.html Thanks Chuck and Buddy. Jeff The Taking of Via Mountain by Robert A. Yingst, 1997 This book details the fight of Robert Henry Via, son of Christopher Columbus Via and great-grandson of John and Betsy Campbell Shiflett, against the state of Virginia and their attempt to acquire Via Mountain near Brown's Gap for Shenandoah Park. Contrary to the official story that all the land was worthless, stoney, and "played out" by overfarming, the Via family ran a thriving apple orchard on their mountain at the headwaters of Moormans River. The fruit and brandy they produced were sold as far away as England. Robert Via took his fight the whole way to the U.S. Supreme Court. If you find books about Shenandoah's " hidden past" fascinating or enjoy reading about the history of this area, you will also find this book of interest. Fair warning: this book made me very angry at the government. 132 pages, including 9 color photos. Following is an excerpt from the book: Though Skyline Drive reveals great vistas, in an odd way, it seems to hide the treasure of the cultures which inhabited its mountainous terrain for hundreds of years. With effort, evidence of the implements of the hunt and the fight to cultivate the soil, even implements of war can still be found in this area now aset aside as a National Park. Ghostly reminders of peoples long since gone from these mountains appear in the form of foundations where homes once stood and forgotten gravestones barely accessible except to the most determined. Robert Yingst RAYingst@aol.com has made the text of this book available online at the Via Family Website: The Taking of Via Mountain <http://members.aol.com/ssprad25/ViaPages/ViaMountain.html>