Forests in the Appalachian Mountains have experienced shifts in composition and structure over centuries because of modifications to disturbance regimes and introductions of non-native species. To quantify these impacts at Chestnut Ridge Natural Area Preserve (CRNAP) in southwestern Virginia, we compared historical land survey records of witness trees with present-day vegetation sampling of trees and shrubs. In 1794, white oak (Quercus alba; importance value=32%) and black oak (Quercus velutina; importance value=24%) dominated the overstory. By 1923, the overstory had shifted to chestnut oak (Quercus montana; importance value=31%) and American chestnut (Castanea dentata; importance value=21%). At present, northern red oak (Quercus rubra) and chestnut oak dominate the overstory with importance values of 14% and 13%, respectively. Historically, American chestnut was more likely to grow next to other tree species (historical mingling index=0.5); whereas, after the introduction of chestnut blight, American chestnut was more likely to grow next to other American chestnut (present-day mingling index=0.2). Current vegeta- tion in CRNAP provides evidence of mesophication because the oak-dominated overstory co-occurs with a midstory and understory dominated by mesic species including great rhododendron (Rhododendron maximum), red maple (Acer rubrum), and sourwood (Oxydendrum arboreum). The comparison of historical and present-day woody species in CRNAP reveals a dynamic forest with shifts in composition and structure reflecting anthropogenic disturbances and the introduction of chestnut blight.