My name is Jack Cunningham, and I am a 4th-year undergraduate student studying History at the University of Virginia. This summer, I had the great privilege of working as a cultural resources intern at Shenandoah National Park through the University of Virginia’s Nau Center. While many visitors know Shenandoah for its stunning views from Skyline Drive, my internship focused on uncovering and preserving the stories of the people who inhabited and shaped this landscape long before the park’s founding in 1935. 

I spent much of my summer in Shenandoah’s archives, working with maps, photographs, land records, and countless documents, and one of the most meaningful parts of this work was my involvement in the Monacan Indigenous Cultural Landscape (ICL) project. The ICL is an ongoing collaboration between Shenandoah National Park, the Shenandoah National Park Trust, and the Monacan Indian Nation that seeks to identify and represent the deep connections between the Monacan people and the park’s current lands. My role centered on gathering archival evidence to support the project, which meant examining maps, property records, and other historical sources to better understand Monacan history in Shenandoah. 

Outside of archival work, one of my favorite aspects of working in Shenandoah was conducting site visits. Many of the park’s maps are outdated, and because of the area’s historical significance, it was the Cultural Resources team’s job to hike deep into the valleys to locate these sites so they could be properly marked and assessed. Reaching them was often difficult, but the hikes made for incredible adventures. These locations included quarries, homesteads, and burial grounds. Once identified, we ensured they were entered into the Geographic Information System (GIS) so other departments within the park, such as the forestry team responsible for controlled burns, could avoid operating within protected areas or disturbing historical sites. 

Beyond archival work and site visits, I also had the chance to assist with preparing President Herbert Hoover’s Rapidan Camp for public tours. The United States Marine Corps built the cabin in 1929 as a presidential retreat, allowing Hoover to escape the turbulence of Washington, D.C. Restoring Rapidan Camp to its historical layout took a large team effort over the course of several weeks and many trips to the archives. It was rewarding to know that our work played a small role in ensuring the general public can access this national treasure. 

On occasion, while traveling in the park, I would take a moment to stop and gaze at the wonder that is Shenandoah National Park. There simply are too few words in the English dictionary to appropriately describe the views and scenery of the park and its surrounding lands. It is beyond breathtaking. Knowing that I was contributing to the protection of this stunning, storied national treasure made each and every work day all the more special. 

I will forever remember this incredible summer. I am grateful for the Nau Center for Civil War History, the University of Virginia, the National Park Service, Professor Caroline Janney, and Dr. Brian Neumann for making this tremendous experience possible. The last two summers I spent with the National Park Service have truly been wonderful, and I am forever grateful for the friends I made along the way. As I enter my final year at UVA, I look forward to the possibility of working with the Nau Center and the National Park Service in the future.