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Records an interview with Edward Nicholson, who lived in the mountains of Madison County, Virginia until the establishment of Shenandoah National Park. Describes daily life in the mountains, the means of growing and preserving food and other aspects of the local economy. Discusses popular pastimes, herbal remedies, holidays, courtship, and the moonshine trade. Also discusses his memories of local entrepreneur, George Freeman Pollock, owner of Skyland resort. Mr. Nicholson's wife, Nellie, (née Dodson), is also present for the interview and contributes throughout.

Records an interview with E.L. Huffman, who grew up near Big Foltz Run, outside of Shenandoah, Virginia, prior to the establishment of Shenandoah National Park. Describes his impressions of the mountain people who lived nearby, their habits, customs and beliefs. Discusses the various economic opportunities available to the mountain people, such as the tan bark industry, ginseng harvest and moonshine. Of particular interest to Mr. Huffman is the Chestnut Blight that destroyed nearly all of the American Chestnut trees in the 1920s and his efforts to rebuild the chestnut population.

Records an interview with Eli Dudley Jones, who lived near Rileyville, in Page County, Virginia in the 1920s and 1930s. Describes home and family life in the mountains, holidays, food production and preservation, and the various cash crops and other sources of income available to the mountain people.

Records the reminiscences of Elmer Atkins, who was born and raised near Beech Spring, Virginia prior to the establishment of Shenandoah National Park in 1934. Describes his home and family life, schooling, holidays and community events. Among the topics discussed are farming, raising of livestock, log homes and the local bark peeling industry. Includes references to revival meetings, wakes and funerals, herbal remedies, moonshining, the Influenza Epidemic of 1918-1919 and the chestnut tree blight that decimated the species in the early decades of the 20th century. Mr. Atkins also comments on the forced eviction of his family and neighbors to make way for the construction of the national park.

Records the reminiscences of Estelle Dodson, (née Nicholson), who grew up in a log house in Corbin Hollow, Virginia, prior to the establishment of Shenandoah National Park. Describes her early home and family life, household chores, and school days. Discusses the difficulties of making a living in the mountains during the Great Depression and her father's work as a basket maker. Other sources of income included harvesting chestnuts and ginseng, and selling flowers and berries at nearby Skyland Resort. Recalls numerous members of the Dodson, Nicholson and Corbin families, including her grandfather, David Nicholson and her first cousin, George Corbin, who built Corbin Cabin in 1910. Also includes anecdotes regarding George Pollock, local entrepreneur and owner of Skyland, and the importance of the resort to the local economy. Estelle Dodson's mother-in-law, who is only identified in the interview as Mrs. Dodson, contributes to the interview throughout. A note written on one of the transcripts identifies her as Mrs. Odie Dodson.

Records the reminiscences of Everett Breeden, who grew up on Tanners Ridge, in Page County, Virginia prior to the establishment of Shenandoah National Park in 1934. Also contributing to the interview is Mr. Breeden's wife, whose first name is not mentioned. Mrs. Breeden gives her maiden name as Thomas, and identifies her father as William Henry Thomas, also of Page County. Based on this information, she is believed to be Junie Catherine Breeden. Together, they describe their early home and family lives, schooling, holidays and community events. Among the topics discussed are the growing, harvesting and preserving of food, soap making, folk medicine and wild game hunting. Includes references to the local Civilian Conservation Corps camp, burial rites, and midwives. Mr. Breeden worked on the construction of Camp Hoover, also known as Rapidan Camp, which was the first presidential retreat. President Herbert Hoover commissioned the construction of the facility in 1929, which he later donated to Shenandoah National Park. Mr. Breeden recounts meeting and speaking with the president on several occasions at the retreat, which Mr. Hoover referred to as his Summer White House.

Records the reminiscences of Evidell Cave, who was born and raised in Dark Hollow, Virginia, prior to the establishment of Shenandoah National Park in 1934. Describes her early home and family life, schooling, marriage, holidays and community events. Among the topics discussed are farming and food preservation, livestock, local wildlife, and the bark peeling industry. Includes references to local families, moonshine, herbal remedies, Camp Hoover and the effects of the chestnut tree blight on the local economy.

Records an interview with Franklin and Margaret Miller, who lived in Rocky Branch, near the town of Luray, in Page County, Virginia. Describes daily life in the mountains, the means of growing and preserving food and other aspects of the local economy. Discusses the country store owned by Mrs. Miller's father, Homer Fox, and the mountain people who traded there.

Records the reminiscences of George Berry, who was born in the Cool Springs area near Fishers Gap, Virginia, in a log house on land that would eventually become part of Shenandoah National Park. Describes his early home and family life, school days at the Forrest Dale School, farm chores,and folk remedies. Discusses family gatherings, folk music, bark peeling and local moonshiners. Recalls his experiences working for the New Deal relief programs, the National Youth Administration as a boy, and later for its parent program, the Works Progress Administration. Mr. Berry recalls playing folk music for tourists at scenic stops along Skyline drive. Also discussed are the evictions of families from their homes, subsequently located within park boundaries, and the long term social and economic effects on those people over the following decades.

Records the reminiscences of Harold Baugher who grew up in Swift Run, Virginia, in the 1930s, on a farm that became part of Shenandoah National Park. Describes home and family life, daily chores, schooling, holidays and community events. Among the topics discussed are the growing, harvesting and preserving of food, traditional herbal medicines and apple orchards. Includes references to wakes and funerals, sorghum production, bark peeling, Kris Kringling and the evictions of local families to make way for the national park.