< snip > They learned that the West Virginia Highway Department would take all of the land from the road to the river and all the land of "equal scenic value" from the road to the toe of the mountain. The highway department would then give the land to the National Park Service (NPS). This was being done to compensate NPS for any of its lands that would be affected by the Parkway. Now the folks along the New River understood why there was an armed guard at the door. As the devastating impact of the plan began to dawn...