Encompassing over 4,000 acres of scenic mountain lands, Douthat State Park in Alleghany and Bath counties was the first of six state parks established in Virginia by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) in the period 1933-1942. Associated with the nationwide public works programs of the New Deal, the Douthat project offered gainful employment to 600 men of three CCC companies during its nine years of development. The CCC program sought to conserve natural and scenic resources while providing healthy retreats for visitors. Architectural and engineering highlights of the park are the fifty-five-acre lake with its dam and spillway, as well as the guest lodge and the original complex of twenty-five guest cabins. These buildings, with their quality craftsmanship, were published as models of rustic park architecture. The spirit of the Douthat State Park’s original plans have been carefully maintained by the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation.