Book excerpt: Southwest Virginia and Shenandoah Valley comprise the fairest dominion of any section of country lying within the limits of the Southern States. The wonderful development of these two sections which has marked the progress of events in the past ten years in the Southern States will be treated in this work rather in accordance with the landmark of time than that of territory. The great Southwest, neither more beautiful nor richer in agricultural and mineral resources than Shenandoah Valley, will be taken first, because, in point of time, it was the first to adorn the robe of material progress and growth. -- Introduction.