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CONTACT the
FOUNDATION
Foundation Mission
The Altapass Foundation, Inc. (TAFI) was
established in August of 2002 to preserve the history, heritage
and culture of the Blue Ridge Mountains; protect the underlying
orchard land with its apples, wetlands, butterflies, and other
natural features; and provide education to the public about
the
Appalachian experience.
Profile
The
Orchard was first planted on this land by the Clinchfield Railroad in 1908, decades before the Parkway was
built. This corner of Appalachia is steeped in centuries of
cultural and historical significance.
In 1995
Katherine Trubey purchased 280
acres of unrestricted land straddling the Blue Ridge Parkway to
preserve its historic beauty and prevent development that would
destroy the views from the Parkway. Though the land was bought as
a preservation project, the new owners recognized that they had
much more than Blue Ridge Parkway views and heritage apples to
preserve.
"Kit" Trubey, together with
Bill and Judy Carson, believe there is an
even more important opportunity for this project: to preserve the
unique history and culture of Altapass, and to use The Orchard at
Altapass location to showcase it.
In 2002 the natural and
historical preservation projects associated with The Orchard,
McKinney Gap and Altapass were placed under the umbrella of the
nonprofit Altapass Foundation, Inc. The Foundation was established
to sustain the special projects of the Orchard. These projects
attract an increasing number of visitors to the area each year and
bring together locals, tourists and vacation property owners.
Thanks to the generous supporters of the Altapass Foundation,
longtime residents who once believed the orchard was doomed for
development can share their history, culture and love of the land
with the world. |
