Rural Page County wants to be known as ‘Cabin Capital of Va.‘

LURAY -- When unemployment is skyrocketing and prospects are dim, anxiety sometimes calls for inspiration such as the moniker Cabin Capital of Virginia, soon to be bestowed on tiny Page County.

The county joins Front Royal, the Canoe Capital of Virginia, and Patrick County, the Covered Bridge Capital of the Commonwealth, in labeling itself to try to bring in more tourists and their cash.

County officials hope the title of cabin capital -- and all the cozy, romantic recreation it implies -- will mean more tourist money for a place whose unemployment rate is between 14 percent and 16 percent. Tourism generates about $4.5 million annually in state and local tax revenues in Page, which has about 25,000 residents.

Del. C. Todd Gilbert, a Republican who represents the 15th District including Page, successfully introduced the bill this year to label the county the cabin capital. The governor is expected to sign the bill soon.

"Page County is hurting economically," Gilbert said. "If this helps tourism to flourish when other things are failing, then that's a good thing."

The label-naming has, however, come under some criticism as being too frivolous for the General Assembly. Sen. Mark D. Obenshain, a Republican whose 26th District includes Page, cited the need to concentrate on more important matters when he voted against Gilbert's bill. In a statement on Facebook, Obenshain said it pained him to vote against the designation, but he wanted to be consistent after voting down the naming of the box turtle as the state reptile because it was a waste of time.

Gilbert disagreed.

"On its face, I was worried this was going to be perceived as trivial," Gilbert said. "But the more I thought about it, if there's a way to market the county to increase tourism it's a good thing to do."

Page boasts more than 250 rental cabins in this mountainous county bordered by the George Washington National Forest and the Shenandoah National Park. The county also offers the beauty of the wide, slow south fork of the Shenandoah River and the weird underground beauty of the Luray Caverns.

"We have more cabins per capita than anywhere in Virginia," said Karen Riddle, the president of the Luray-Page Chamber of Commerce who herself has cabins to rent adjacent to the park. "About 500,000 people come to the caverns. One million people visit the park. They need places to stay."

Bob Castle, who owns the Brookside Restaurant on state Route 211 in Page, said he thinks the designation is a great idea. He also owns nine cabins to complement the restaurant.

His cabins -- which cost from $85 to $188 a night -- are bounded by the tiny brook of Pass Run and Route 211.

Riddle said she hopes Page's plan pays off.

"We think we're living in a postcard," said Riddle of her county. "This is creative marketing, but we want to live up to the title and name. We take it very seriously."