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| − | [[Image:Rainy_Blue_Ridge-27527.jpg|left|frame]] | + | The '''Blue Ridge''', or '''Blue Ridge Mountains''', is a [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Physiographic_regions_of_the_world physiographic province] of the larger [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Appalachian_Mountains Appalachian Mountains]. The province consists of the Northern and Southern physiographic sections, which divide near the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roanoke_River Roanoke River] gap. They are a mountain chain in the eastern [[United States]], part of the Appalachian Mountains, forming their eastern front from Georgia to Pennsylvania To the west of the Blue Ridge, between it and the bulk of the Appalachians, lies the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Appalachian_Valley Great Appalachian Valley], bordered on the west by the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ridge-and-valley_Appalachians Ridge and Valley] province. The mountains are well known for their bluish color when seen from a distance. Trees put the "blue" in Blue Ridge, from the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isoprene isoprene] released into the [[atmosphere]], thereby contributing to the characteristic haze on the mountains and their distinctive color. |
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| − | The '''Blue Ridge''', or '''Blue Ridge Mountains''', is a [[Physiographic regions of the world|physiographic province]] of the larger [[Appalachian Mountains|Appalachian]] division. The province consists of the Northern and Southern physiographic sections, which divide near the Roanoke River gap. [http://water.usgs.gov/GIS/metadata/usgswrd/XML/physio.xml] They are a mountain chain in the eastern [[United States]], part of the [[Appalachian Mountains]], forming their eastern front from Georgia to Pennsylvania To the west of the Blue Ridge, between it and the bulk of the Appalachians, lies the [[Great Appalachian Valley|Great Valley]], bordered on the west by the [[Ridge-and-valley Appalachians|Ridge and Valley]] province. The mountains are well known for their bluish color when seen from a distance. Trees put the "blue" in Blue Ridge, from the hydrocarbons released into the atmosphere, thereby contributing to the characteristic haze on the mountains and their distinctive color. [http://www.nps.gov/blri/faqs.htm]
| + | Within the Blue Ridge province, there are two two national parks: the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shenandoah_National_Park Shenandoah National Park] in the northern section and the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Smoky_Mountains_National_Park Great Smoky Mountains National Park] in the southern section. The Blue Ridge also contains the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blue_Ridge_Parkway Blue Ridge Parkway], a 469-mile long scenic highway that connects the two parks and is located along the ridge crestlines along the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Appalachian_Trail Appalachian Trail]. [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blue_Ridge_Mountains] |
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| − | Within the Blue Ridge province, there are two two national parks: the Shenandoah in the northern section and the Great Smoky Mountains in the southern section. The Blue Ridge also contains the Blue Ridge Parkway, a 469-mile long scenic highway that connects the two parks and is located along the ridge crestlines along the Appalachian Trail. [http://www.tec.army.mil/publications/ifsar/lafinal08_01/five/5.1.1_frame.htm]
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| − | ==Geography==
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| − | Although the term "Blue Ridge" is sometimes applied exclusively to the eastern edge or front range of the Appalachian Mountains, the geological definition of the Blue Ridge province extends westward to the [[Ridge-and-valley Appalachians|Ridge and Valley]] area, encompassing the [[Great Smoky Mountains]], the Great Balsams, the [[Roan Mountain (Roan Highlands)|Roans]], the [[Brushy Mountains (North Carolina)|Brushy Mountains]] (a "spur" of the Blue Ridge) and other [[mountain range]]s.
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| − | The Blue Ridge extends north into [[Pennsylvania]] as [[South Mountain (Maryland and Pennsylvania)|South Mountain]]. While South Mountain dwindles to mere hills between [[Gettysburg, Pennsylvania|Gettysburg]] and [[Harrisburg, Pennsylvania|Harrisburg]], the band of ancient rocks that forms the core of the Blue Ridge continues northeast through the [[New Jersey]] and [[Hudson River]] highlands, eventually reaching [[The Berkshires]] of [[Massachusetts]] and the [[Green Mountains]] of [[Vermont]].
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| − | The Blue Ridge contains the highest mountains in eastern North America. About 125 peaks
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| − | exceed 5,000 feet in elevation. [http://www.geology.enr.state.nc.us/proj_earth/pdf/color_physiography_600dpi.pdf] The highest peak in the Blue Ridge and the Appalachian chain is [[Mount Mitchell (North Carolina)|Mt. Mitchell]] in [[North Carolina]] at 6684 ft. There are 39 peaks in North Carolina and Tennessee higher than 6000 ft; by comparison, only [[New Hampshire]]'s [[Mount Washington (New Hampshire)|Mt. Washington]] rises above 6,000 feet in the northern portion of the Appalachian chain.
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| − | The [[Blue Ridge Parkway]] runs 469 miles (750 km) along the crests of the Southern Appalachians and links two national parks: [[Shenandoah National Park|Shenandoah]] and [[Great Smoky Mountains National Park|Great Smoky Mountains]]. In many places along the parkway, there are [[metamorphic rock|metamorphic]] rocks ([[gneiss]]) with folded bands of light-and dark-colored minerals, which sometimes look like the folds and swirls in a marble cake.
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| − | ==Geology==
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| − | Most of the rocks that form the Blue Ridge Mountains are ancient [[granitic]] [[charnockite]]s, metamorphosed volcanic formations, and sedimentary limestones.Recent studies completed by Richard Tollo, a professor and geologist at the [[George Washington University]], provide greater insight into the petrologic and geochronologic history of the Blue Ridge basement suites. Modern studies have found that the basement geology of the Blue Ridge is made of compositionally unique [[gneiss]]es and [[granite|granitoids]], including orthopyroxene-bearing charnockites. Analyses of [[zircon]] minerals in the granites completed by John Aleinikoff at the [[U.S. Geological Survey]] have provided more detailed emplacement ages.
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| − | Many of the features found in the Blue Ridge and documented by Tollo and others have confirmed that the rocks exhibit many similar features in other North American [[Grenville orogeny|Grenville-age]] [[terrane]]s. The lack of a calc-alkaline affinity and zircon ages less than 1,200 [[Annum|Ma]] suggest that Blue Ridge are unique from the [[Adirondack Mountains|Adirondacks]], [[Green Mountains]], and possibly the [[New York-New Jersey Highlands]]. The [[Petrology|petrologic]] and [[Geochronology|geochronologic]] data suggest that the Blue Ridge basement is a composite orogenic crust that was emplaced during several episodes from a crustal magma source. Field relationships further illustrate that rocks emplaced prior to 1,078-1,064 Ma preserve deformational features. Those emplaced post-1,064 Ma generally have a massive texture and missed the main episode of Mesoproterozoic compression. [http://gsa.confex.com/gsa/2004NE/finalprogram/abstract_69016.htm]
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| − | ==History==
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| − | The English who settled [[Virginia]] in the early 1600s recorded that the native [[Powhatan]] name for the Blue Ridge was ''Quirank''.
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| − | At the foot of the Blue Ridge, various tribes including the [[Siouan]] [[Manahoac]]s, the [[Iroquois]], and the [[Shawnee]] hunted and fished. As more settlers moved into Virginia, their economic and at times martial competition pushed the native inhabitants west. [http://www.eoffice.com/offices/_540/675/5330/my_webserver/files/newsite/page2/page2.html]
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| − | ==Popular culture==
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| − | *The song "Honeysuckle Blue" by [[Drivin N Cryin]]
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| − | *The song "Stonewall Jackson's Way" [http://www.civilwarpoetry.org/confederate/songs/tjway-song.html]
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| − | *The chorus of the popular song, [[The Trail of the Lonesome Pine]]. The song was popularized in the 1930s by the comedy duo [[Laurel and Hardy]], who sang it in their film, [[Way Out West (1937 film)|''Way Out West'']]. Their recording was released (posthumously) in 1975, achieving chart success in the United Kingdom. [http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0029747/trivia]
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| − | *[[John Denver]] sang of the Blue Ridge in the celebrated 1971 song "[[Take Me Home, Country Roads]]". The lyrics place the mountain range in the state of [[West Virginia]], although in fact, the only part of the range falling within that state is at its easternmost tip, at a point near [[Harper's Ferry]].
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| − | ==References==
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| − | 9. Ted Olson (1998), _Blue Ridge Folklife_, University Press of Mississippi (Folklife in the South Series). ISBN 1578060230.
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| − | [[Category:General Reference]]
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| | [[Category: Geography]] | | [[Category: Geography]] |