Power of the Picturesque: Motorists’ Perceptions of the Blue Ridge Parkway

Abstract

The Blue Ridge Parkway (BRP), in North Carolina and Virginia (1934–87), is considered one of America’s most beautiful roads. In an earlier article (LJ 23:2, 121–140), the author has hypothesized that its design is derived from the English picturesque theory of William Hogarth (1753) and Edmund Burke (1757). A pilot study and public survey were conducted to determine if contemporary public experience is consistent with Hogarth’s and Burke’s theories. Survey results indicate that public response to the BRP design is positive. Respondents indicated a preference for reverse curvature in the motor road structure (Hogarth’s serpentine Line of Grace) and for plant color and texture. There was strong support for Burke’s notion that positive emotion is associated with superior aesthetic experience.