Cave Mountain Lake Pavilion Rehabilitation Volunteers
April 14 - May 10
Whelp, it looks like we’re heading back to Virginia, and we couldn’t be more excited! Over twenty volunteers joined us in 2023, putting a sizable dent in the long list of tasks necessary to restore the Cave Mountain Lake Pavilion. Needless to say, we are itching to get back out there to finish the job.
The Pavilion at Cave Mountain Lake Recreation Area is another timeless structure built in the 1930s by the fabled Civilian Conservation Corps, a nine-year program created by federal government that put young men to work during the Great Depression on conservation and natural resources projects across the country. Featuring a public beach with access to fishing, nearly 30 campsites, and close proximity to the area’s most scenic geological tourist attraction, the Natural Bridge at Natural Bridge State Park, Cave Mountain Lake Recreation Area is prime example of the public recreation sites built by the CCC.
Located in the unincorporated community of Natural Bridge Station, the region has a tethered history to the Revolutionary War and the Civil War. In fact, just 20 miles north is the historic town of Lexington and the resting place of Confederate Generals Robert E. Lee and Thomas “Stonewall Jackson. Other worthy mentions of Lexington’s historical prevalence include being home to both the Virginia Military Institute founded in 1839 and Washington and Lee University founded in 1749!
If these connections are not rich enough, Cave Mountain Lake Recreation Area resides in the beautiful George Washington and Jefferson National Forests, home to the Virginia’s portion of the Appalachian Mountains, and specifically, the wondrous Blue Ridge Mountains. Featuring roughly 125 peaks and rising up to 6,000 feet in elevation, the Blue Ridge Mountains are the highest mountain range in the Eastern United States. Adjacent to Cave Mountain Lake Recreation Area is the infamous Blue Ridge Parkway, a 469 mile Natural Parkway and All-American Road known for its varied scenic attractions, protected wilderness, and for being America’s longest parkway, stretching from Virginia to North Carolina.
If you’re looking for a bit of natural serenity to kick start your preservation efforts this season, this might be a great option. HistoriCorps is excited to lace up our boots and continue our work from 2023 restoring the roof of the pavilion, replacing eroding sill logs, and revamping the interior floor. We invite you to come lend a hand in Virginia’s regal backwoods at the Cave Mountain Lake Pavilion!
SESSION DATES: April 14-19, April 21-26, April 28 – May 3, and May 5-10
Please plan to arrive at the campsite no earlier than 5pm and no later than 7pm on the first day of your session.
LOCATION: Located just under 21 miles south of Lexington, VA!
HistoriCorps is committed to educating and training volunteers in preservation skills, with an overarching mission of inspiring a preservation ethic in all those involved. Learning and working alongside expert HistoriCorps field staff, volunteers and applying the traditional skills necessary to restore the Cave Mountain Lake Pavilion:
- Log repairs and replacement (40%)
- Repair or replace cedar shake on roof (40%)
- Flooring and carpentry repairs (20%)
