Editing Highland County, Virginia (section)

== Attractions ==
Highland County is known by the nickname "Virginia's Switzerland" or "Virginia's Little Switzerland",<ref name=county>{{cite web|url=http://www.highlandcova.org/|title=Welcome to Highland County, Virginia|publisher=Highland County|access-date=December 26, 2013}}</ref><ref name=trail>{{cite web|url=http://www.dgif.virginia.gov/vbwt/loop.asp?trail=2&loop=MLI|title=Virginia Birding and Wildlife Trail: Little Switzerland|publisher=Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries|access-date=December 26, 2013}}</ref> in reference to the steep mountains and valleys.<ref name="west highland">{{cite web|title=Explore Virginia's Western Highlands|publisher=Virginia's Western Highlands Travel Council|url=http://vawesternhighlands.com/explore-the-highlands/|access-date=January 9, 2014}}</ref><ref name="byways">{{cite book|last=Colbert|first=Judy|title=Scenic Routes & Byways: Virginia|publisher=Globe Pequot|year=2013|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=5x5VAgAAQBAJ|isbn=9780762786534|page=47}}</ref>  The mountains of Highland have historically attracted many tourists to the region, including [[Henry Ford]], [[Thomas Edison]], [[Harvey Firestone]], and other prominent inventors and businessmen who visited the area in 1918.<ref name="scott21">[[#Scott|Scott]], 2008, p. 21.</ref>

The Highland County Museum and Heritage Center is located at McDowell and is operated by the Highland Historic Society.<ref name="about hhs">{{cite web|title=About Highland Historical Society|publisher=Highland Historical Society|url=http://www.highlandcountyhistory.com/HHS/About_HHS.html|access-date=January 9, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140109213631/http://www.highlandcountyhistory.com/HHS/About_HHS.html|archive-date=January 9, 2014|url-status=dead}}</ref> Exhibits feature the history of Highland County and the history of the [[Battle of McDowell]] during the [[American Civil War]].<ref name="exhibits">{{cite web|title=Exhibits|publisher=Highland Historical Society|url=http://www.highlandcountyhistory.com/HHS/Exhibits.html|access-date=January 9, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140109213717/http://www.highlandcountyhistory.com/HHS/Exhibits.html|archive-date=January 9, 2014|url-status=dead}}</ref> According to the [[National Park Service]], the battlefield is the best preserved battlefield of all Shenandoah Valley battlefields.<ref name="nps battlefield">{{cite web|title=2. McDOWELL (8 May 1862)|publisher=National Park Service|url=http://www.nps.gov/hps/abpp/shenandoah/svs3-2.html|year=1995|access-date=January 9, 2014}}</ref>

The [[Highland County Maple Festival]] has been held annually in March since 1959 to promote the county's [[maple syrup]] industry.<ref name="chamber maple">{{cite web|title=56th Annual Highland Maple Festival |publisher=Highland County Chamber of Commerce |url=http://www.highlandcounty.org/maplefestival.html |access-date=January 9, 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131231044416/http://www.highlandcounty.org/maplefestival.html |archive-date=December 31, 2013 }}</ref>  The festival attracts over 60,000 people annually to the county during the event and has been designated a Local Legacy by the [[Library of Congress]].<ref name="chamber maple"/><ref name="loc legacy">{{cite web|title=Highland Maple Festival (Highland County)|publisher=The Library of Congress|url=http://lcweb2.loc.gov/diglib/legacies/VA/200003584.html|access-date=January 9, 2014}}</ref> Highland also hosts a seasonal farmers' market,<ref>{{cite web|title=Highland Farmer's Market|url=http://thehighlandcenter.org/farmers-market/|publisher=The Highland Center|access-date=January 9, 2014}}</ref> and the Allegheny Mountain School, an organization to help secure community food systems.<ref>{{cite web|title=Allegheny Mountain School Fellowship|url=http://thehighlandcenter.org/alleghenymountainschool/|publisher=The Highland Center|access-date=January 9, 2014|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140109220733/http://thehighlandcenter.org/alleghenymountainschool/|archive-date=January 9, 2014}}</ref>

Additionally, other outdoor sports such as fishing, hiking, hunting, caving, and cycling are enjoyed in the county.<ref name="natResources"/><ref name="WMA info"/><ref name="recreational routes">{{cite web|title=Comprehensive Plan: Recreational Routes in Highland County|publisher=Highland County|url=http://www.highlandcova.org/Compplan/Appendix%20C.htm|access-date=January 9, 2014}}</ref>  Every August the Mountain Mama Road Bike Challenge brings cyclists from all over the country to challenge themselves on the steep roads of Highland County.<ref name="chamber bike">{{cite web|title=Events > Mountain Mama Road Bike Challenge|publisher=Highland County Chamber of Commerce|url=http://www.highlandcounty.org/mtmama.html|access-date=January 9, 2014|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140116184644/http://www.highlandcounty.org/mtmama.html|archive-date=January 16, 2014}}</ref>  The Highland County fair is the longest continuously running fair in Virginia.<ref name="scott73">[[#Scott|Scott]], 2008, p. 73.</ref>