The Blue Ridge Mountains shadow the lands once owned by the Via Family. The white object center is a recently built home that is situated adjecent to the Via Homestead in the following photos.
 

Restored 1850 Via Cabin on the property of Langeleigh Farm. Family sources indicate that a cemetery exsists somewhere in the vicinity.
 

The cabin as it appeared in the early 1900's. Photo compliments of Phil James.
 

A view from Skyline Drive looking east through Sugar Hollow toward Whitehall.
 

Sugar Hollow Road was once a busy turnpike of horses and wagons transporting sugar, timber, apples and apple brandy. Today much of it is overgrown and nearly impassible in many locations.
 

An old apple tree. It was once part of the Via Orchards until the government took it to make the Shenanadoah National Park in the 1930's.
 

A view of Via Gap from Dundo Overlook on Skyline Drive. Just below the tall Cedar Mountain (right) is the Pasture Fence Mountain often refered to as Via Mountain. The northern spur of Pasture Fence Mountain is the location of Viare/Viar/Via Cemetery, Christopher Viar's Homestead and remnants of the apple orchards.
 

Christopher Columbus Viar Homestead. It was last inhabited by the elderly Minnie Garrison Via who later was taken to Pennsylvania.
 

Viare/Viar/Via Cemetery. The following pictures are detailed photographs taken at the cemetery on Via Mountain. Note the spelling variations that occurred in the mid to late 1800's.
 

Christopher Columbus Viar (my Great-Great Grandfather)
 

Rossie Viare, Christopher's 13th child. Young Rossie died after getting caught in a mountain fire used to clear brush. She was 11 years old.
 

Amanda E. G. Viare, Christopher's 4th child.
 

John B. Viare, Christopher's 11th child.
 

James Viare, Christopher's 8th child.
 

Lucy Viare, Christopher's 10th child and twin to Lillian Frances Via.
 

Martha Via
 

Unidentifed graves in Viare Cemetery. Some of the graves are marked with mountain stone or can be located by upright shale pilings onced used to support a marker and yet others are nothing more than shallow depressions. Questions arrise whether Ira Viare and many other ancestors rest here. Early family cemeteries and graves in this region were rarely recorded and we may never know.
 

One of the many unidentified graves found during clearing and cleaning in October 2000. The stone closest is the head marker where a 4"x6" American flag (next photo) was found buried in leaves and dirt.