The Blue Ridge Parkway, NC and VA (1934-87) is considered to be one of America's
most beautiful roads. However, very little is known about the origins of its physical
design or of public response to it. The hypothesis of the research is that the design of the
BRP is based upon the eighteenth century aesthetic theory of William Hogarth and
Edmund Burke. Hogarth's concept of the serpentine "Line of Grace" and Burke's theory
that beauty is connected with emotion and motion are reviewed in conjunction with the
BRP design. Qualitative and quantitative methods were used to research the hypothesis.
Qualitative methods included secondary and primary sources, including elite interviews
of persons associated with the early design of the BRP and archival research of design
documents and memoranda. Quantitative methods included a pilot and public survey to
determine if current public experience of the parkway is consistent with Hogarth's and
Burke's theories.Results indicated that the BRP appears to embody many of the aesthetic principles of
Hogarth and Burke. The motor road's spiral curves express the three dimensional
characteristics of Hogarth's serpentine "Line of Grace ". The parkway landscape reflects
the principles of variety espoused by Hogarth and Burke. A direct link to Hogarth and
Burke was not found -that is the BRP was not consciously designed according to their
theories. However, links to the eighteenth century theories were found in the designers'
education and apprenticeship.Survey results indicate that public response to the BRP design is very positive. The public
response particularly supported Burke's concept that a feeling of calmness, or relaxation,
is associated with positive perception of landscape scenery
