Natural Bridge and Monacan Village

I visited one of my favorite places in Virginia, Natural Bridge. In the late 19th-early 20th century, the bridge was considered one of the Seven Wonders of the World.

According to geologists, the rock that composes the bridge is about 500 million years old and took about 100 million years for a water source to carve what we see today. The bridge is 215 feet tall and 100 feet wide. The rock weighs approximately 36,000 tons.

George Washington surveyed the Natural Bridge site in 1750 and carved his initals on one wall. In 1754, just before the American Revolution and the writing of the Declaration of Independence, Thomas Jefferson purchased 157 acres of land including the Natural Bridge from King George III of England for 20 shillings or about $2.60.


The Monacan Village is a reenactment of how the Indians most likely lived more than 300 years ago. The Monacan Indians had many legends concerning the bridge and tried to live as near to it as possible. Most of those who work in the village every day are descendants of various Indian tribes. They make all their own tools, clothing and shelter using the same techniques and means the Monacan Indians would have used. It is a fascinating exhibit. They kill animals with snares, traps or the bow and arrow. They cook meat they have killed or items they have grown or gathered every day on a stone slab over a fire. Then, at 5 PM, they get in their cars and go home...probably put some pizza in the microwave and watch the game.