Fancy Gap Tourism

The 75th Anniversary of the Blue Ridge Parkway in 2010 provides an extraordinary opportunity to create awareness, initiate dialogue in local communities, and take action that will insure a strong future for this resource. Blue Ridge Parkway 75, Inc. is a newly established not-for-profit corporation whose mission is to:  plan, fund, and organize the events and activities of the Blue Ridge Parkway’s 75th Anniversary;  educate the general public about the Parkway’s value and assets; and, through collaborative partnerships, realize the vision of the anniversary. This vision will engage local communities and the nation in efforts to sustain a healthy Parkway for future generations by celebrating 75 years of Parkway history, Appalachian culture, and spectacular scenic views. For more information, go to www.blueridgeparkway75.org.

This capricious, if provincial, expression of the Queen Anne style was briefly the home of the notorious Sidna Allen. Allen was member of the so-called Allen Gang involved in the Carroll County Courthouse shooting in 1912. The house, finished the year before the shooting, was designed by Allen and his wife. It was built by Preston Dickens, a local carpenter, with Allen assisting. Allen dreamed of the finest house in Carroll County, and the house was his dream come true until confiscated by the state after his conviction for the courthouse incident. The property is now listed in the National Register of Historic Places. The home is owned by Bert and Marlene Widener, who offer tours by appointment.