Built In Anticipation Of The Blue Ridge Parkway Being Built
In 1938, General Boyd and Ward Spangler built a small building where Route 8 passes over the crest of the Blue Ridge Mountains. This was the spot where the newly authorized Blue Ridge Parkway was slated to run along the border of Floyd and Patrick counties in southwest Virginia. Originally called the Appalachian Scenic Highway during Franklin D. Roosevelt’s administration, construction started on the Blue Ridge Parkway in 1935, but progress didn’t reach Tuggle’s Gap until a couple years later.
A Family Business Serving Up Good Food, Comfortable Accommodation and Great Service
The newly opened store and gas station was in operation when the Parkway saw its first visitors passing by Milepost 165, and the founding partners operated the business. Before too long, Boyd’s daughter Irene married Spangler’s son George, and this next generation took over operation of Tuggle’s Gap. They took up residence in the lower level of the restaurant and raised a son while serving up fine food and hospitality upstairs. The motel buildings were added in the 1940s, and over the next two decades the property thrived.
The Appalachian Trail Passed Through Tuggle’s Gap
When Tuggle’s Gap opened, the Appalachian Trail passed right in front of the property. The trail was originally laid out on this route, then was relocated farther west in 1952. The Appalachian Trail is a 2200 mile hiking trail extending between Georgia and Maine, and was originally conceived in 1921.
The Tuggle Family Moves South
In 1809, Henry Tuggle was granted a lease for this area and moved his family from Tidewater, Virginia to the Blue Ridge Mountains. When he died, he left the property to his grandsons who passed had passed it on by 1827. The name Tuggle’s Gap stuck to the area though, and was a mail stop for early postal stagecoaches in the post-Civil War era.
Restaurant
Our restaurant serves the best food in the area. All the food is made fresh to order using high-quality ingredients.
Inn Under Renovation
Nick Bieneck, the fourth owner of Tuggle Gap Roadside Inn, is currently getting the lodging renovated for the clients' comfort.
Occasions to Enjoy
You can also drop into Tuggle Gap Roadside Inn to be a part of our events, indoor and outdoor.
