Hungry Mother State Park Historic District
National Register of Historic Places

Hungry Mother State Park Historic District

Marion, Smyth County, Virginia
Listed
April 11, 2007
Type
District
Period
Civil War
Ref No.
07000303

About this property

Hungry Mother State Park is a state park in southwestern Virginia. The park's main feature is a 108-acre lake with a sandy beach. Opened in June 1936, Hungry Mother State Park is one of the six original Virginia state parks built by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the early-mid 1930s. Much of the land for Hungry Mother State Park was donated by local landowners to develop a new state park in Smyth County on Hungry Mother Creek. The original grounds, trails and campsites of the park were built CCC, like the other five Virginia state parks that opened on 15 June 1936. Governor George C. Peery attended the opening ceremonies on June 15 at Hungry Mother, giving a speech about the benefits of the new state park system. The park was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2007. It has frequently been noted on lists of unusual place names. A legend states that when the Native Americans destroyed several settlements on the New River south of the park, Molly Marley and her small child were among the survivors taken to the raiders’ base north of the park. They eventually escaped, wandering through the wilderness eating berries. Molly finally collapsed, and her child wandered down a creek. Upon finding help, the only words the child could utter were "Hungry Mother." When the search party arrived at the foot of the mountain where Molly had collapsed, they found the child's mother dead. Today, that mountain is Molly's Knob (3,270 feet), and the stream is Hungry Mother Creek.

Location

2854 Park Blvd.
Marion, Smyth County, Virginia
36.88430, -81.53337

Categories

ARCHITECTURELANDSCAPE ARCHITECTUREENTERTAINMENT/RECREATION
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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Overview
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The Land
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Geology
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LiDAR Terrain
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Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
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Historical Maps
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Finds & Access
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Literature
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Spotlight
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Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
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Nearby Historic Sites

Smyth County Community Hospital
Industrial
2.7 mi
Norfolk & Western Railway Depot
Industrial
2.7 mi
Marion Historic District (Boundary Increase)
Listed
3.4 mi
Lincoln Theatre
Industrial
3.6 mi
Hotel Lincoln
Industrial
3.6 mi

Nearby Battles

Stoneman's Raid into Southwest Virginia
1864Civil War
0.8 mi
Stoneman's Raid – Marion VA
1865Civil War
3.7 mi
Battle of Marion
1864Civil War
3.7 mi

Questions about this property

When was Hungry Mother State Park Historic District listed on the National Register?

Hungry Mother State Park Historic District was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on April 11, 2007.

What type of historic resource is Hungry Mother State Park Historic District?

Hungry Mother State Park Historic District is classified as a district in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Hungry Mother State Park Historic District?

The period of significance for Hungry Mother State Park Historic District is recorded as the civil_war era, specifically around 1936.

Can I research the history near Hungry Mother State Park Historic District?

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