Yours is an interesting and provocative posting, Paxham. From time to time I've had thoughts similar to those you expressed.
Although I was born and raised in Lexington, there was something kind of off-putting about Natural Bridge, the business enterprise, to my family so I never actually saw it until the day I was hired to work in the restaurant of the old Hotel, which later burned to the ground. Subsequently, I became the pool lifeguard, and remember that teenager summer fondly ... I even saved a life!
Yes, it should be accorded better treatment and respect than it has received over the years, and it should be open to all to see as the public treasure it is in reality, if not so on paper. A bizarre accident of history put US Rt 11 atop the bridge,
a travesty that should be reversed so that the bridge becomes a destination for pedestrians rather than a thoroughfare for 18 wheelers.

Thanks for finding that treasure of a portrait of Natural Bridge ... stunning!
