Mary Draper ingles
In the 1750's, southwestern Virginia was still a sparsely settled frontier, but this land drew a young woman who continues to have untold influence - even in the 21st Century.
Born in Philadelphia in 1732 to Irish immigrants, Mary Draper, along with her family, became part of the western migration as settlers moved down The Great Wagon Road into Virginia. Eventually she married William Ingles and settled in Drapers Meadows in what is present-day Blacksburg.
While many parts of the frontier were in the grips of the French and Indian War, the New River Valley residents didn't have reason to fear the parties of American Native Indians, who passed by periodically from the Ohio Valley on their way to fight the Catawbas farther south. At least, not until a day in July 1755 when members of the settlement were killed, and Mary and other family members were captured by the Shawnees and taken hundreds of miles into the frontier wilderness.
However, this remarkable woman summoned tremendous physical and mental strength as she escaped from her captors and walked through Kentucky, West Virginia, and Virginia, navigating only through memory and by following significant waterways (the Ohio, Kanawha, and New Rivers), back to her home valley. Later she and her husband moved to the Radford area where they established a homestead and ferry operation. Mary lived here until her death in 1815.
What transpired between these life episodes is a story that has been told and retold through books and articles, an outdoor drama, and at festivals and living history reenactments throughout a four-state region. Her story will inspire you.
Mary’s Impact Through the Years
Each year thousands of visitors attend a play, celebration or festival for Mary Draper Ingles somewhere in one or more of the four states—Virginia, West Virginia, Kentucky and Ohio—through which she journeyed. Because of numerous books and articles, including the “New York Times” bestseller—“Follow the River”—and several movies, her recognition goes well beyond this region.
KEEPING MARY'S MESSAGE ALIVE
The New River Valley is privileged to be home to one of the most compelling and authentic stories in our nation’s history. The Mary Draper Ingles story began in 1755 and to this day continues to capture the imagination of individuals from generation to generation. In recent years, the City of Radford’s Tourism Department and Glencoe Mansion, Museum & Gallery have joined efforts to coordinate projects that support the story and enhance our community’s cultural, historic and economic vitality:
The Radford Tourism & Cultural Arts Commission and the Radford Information & Welcome Center lead the city’s efforts in identifying tourism assets and promoting them. In addition, these two groups work in tandem with the Radford Heritage Foundation to oversee the Mary Draper Ingles Cultural Heritage Park.
The Radford Heritage Foundation oversees Glencoe Mansion, Museum & Gallery, which promotes the story of Mary and early Indian and settler history.
Also joining us in making this possible are the following organizations that we want to thank.