The following is a letter submitted to Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum by a Luray resident. The resident also shared the letter for publication here.
The Honorable Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum
United States Department of the Interior
1849 C Street NW
Washington DC 20240
August 12, 2026
Dear Secretary Burgum,
I am writing this letter after meaningful thought and consideration, as I have reached the point where I can no longer allow myself to not elevate my concerns.
I worked for the National Park Service (“NPS”) at Shenandoah National Park (“Shenandoah”) from 1983 to 2012.
In addition to my work at Shenandoah, I supported the NPS’s response to multiple disaster events across the country.
I have personally invested blood, sweat, tears, and time into the proper maintenance of our treasured national park system.
I also served our country in the United States Army.
A significant portion of my life has been dedicated to public service for the betterment of our society.
My personal connectivity to Shenandoah runs even deeper.
I am a proud descendant of the Cave family in Dark Hollow, who, along with many families, were involuntarily forced to leave their homes and communities to allow for Shenandoah’s creation.
I maintain the Cave Family Cemetery in Shenandoah, where many of my family members are buried.
This maintenance includes mowing the grounds and keeping it at a acceptable level of appearance, as both a matter of heritage and respect.
I am distressed every time I stop at Shenandoah’s headquarters to obtain the access key necessary for cemetery maintenance.
The grass is uncut, and there is a general unkempt appearance of the grounds surrounding the headquarters facility.
I cannot help but ask myself a key question when I see this: “What message are we conveying about our respect and care for our own assets?”
This message is not just seen by locals; it is seen by tourists from around the United States and foreign nations.
The appearance is a poor reflection of the local community, and the lack of maintenance sends a message to the local community as well about its importance in our government’s priorities.
My distress compounds as I make my way from headquarters to the cemetery.
Dead trees on the verge of collapse are too numerous to count, creating both eyesores and safety hazards.
Shenandoah’s rock walls are falling into disrepair.
Sightlines at overlooks and around the curves of Skyline Drive continue to shrink as growth encroaches without proper maintenance.
I have been pleased to see the work done in our Capital to improve public spaces, statues, and monuments.
The Department of the Interior would do well to apply that same fervor and zeal to enhance the appearance of Shenandoah National Park.
Hundreds of families lost their homeplace, farmland, livestock, and sense of community against their will for Shenandoah’s creation.
A failure to maintain this asset sends a message to the descendants of those families that their sacrifice is neither appreciated nor respected.
It also sends a message to all Shenandoah visitors that little attention or care is paid to visitor safety and general maintenance.
The communities and local economies surrounding Shenandoah rely heavily on its appeal for their own success, and Shenandoah’s appeal relies heavily on how it is maintained and presented.
I implore the Department of the Interior and NPS to treat this asset with the appreciation and reverence it deserves. With warmest regards, I am
Respectfully yours,
Delmas A. Ryder
Luray, Va.
ALL PHOTOS COURTESY OF Delmas A. Ryder
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Wonderful letter. Sadly, the only person Burgum listens to is the dementia-ridden orange blob in the White House. And the orange blob wants to drill, baby, drill and strip mine, baby, strip mine. Unless the insanity is stopped on November 3, it will be open season on all National Parks. The blob administration is already attempting to destroy Big Bend National Park in Texas and was (temporarily) halted by the state of Texas. Melania evidently desires hats made out of endangered tropical bird feathers, so there has been talk about removing the Everglades as a National Park to open up hunting as was the case there before the National Park was established. Any remaining protected natural setting--park, monument, or forest--will be doomed if they get their way. Destroying nature for profit, sport, and fun. The "Christian" way, right?