Hurricane Helene: Appalachian History

Bill Hart has hiked, camped and fished in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park for more than forty years. In over three thousand miles of walking, he has recorded experiences and impressions that will delight readers of all ages. Whether exploring some of the most remote sections of the Smokies, angling for trout, meeting mountain folk or marveling at the flora and fauna around him, Bill has a gift for heartfelt storytelling and a wealth of knowledge to share about the park. Join him for an unforgettable journey through a beloved national treasure.

Predating the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and the Blue Ridge Parkway, the Appalachian Trail was established in the 1920s. Yet even after volunteers had begun the pathway's construction, its southern terminus was still undetermined. The more than 200 vintage photographs of Images of America: Along the Appalachian Trail: Georgia, North Carolina, and Tennessee have been culled from the Appalachian Trail Conservancy, National Park Service, local trail maintaining clubs, state archives, and historical societies. They illustrate the sweat, toil, and dedication that went into building the trail over some of Eastern America's highest and most rugged terrain. Also chronicled are the people who lived along the trail's route, those who volunteered to physically build it or lobby for its creation, and the many relocations that have moved the pathway to optimal locations.

Explore the sacred homeland of the Cherokee people

Created in 1920, the 650,000-acre Cherokee National Forest lies north and south of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Located in the sacred homeland of the Cherokees, it pays tribute to its heritage in its name and protects ancient indigenous burial caves and portions of the Trail of Tears. By car, foot, horse, or watercraft, visitors explore the natural beauties of the region, such as the Roan, Max Patch, Unicoi, and Unaka mountains and the Ocoee, Hiwassee, Nolichucky, Watauga, and French Broad rivers. The Appalachian, Benton MacKaye, and John Muir trails and other pathways lead to mountain-top views, rock cliffs, forested coves and gardens of abundant wildflowers.

Local author Marci Spencer tells the stories of these wonders and the early settlers, railroad workers, loggers and miners who lived and worked among them.

Few locations in South Carolina have figured as prominently in the early history of the state as the old town of Ninety Six. As a witness to two Revolutionary War battles, two Cherokee War battles, a trading post, three forts and two towns, the site is perhaps one of the richest archaeological sites in the South. In recognition of its rich history the Ninety Six National Historic Site became part of the National Park Service in 1976.

The unusual name that was given to the site is believed to have taken root in the early 1700s. English traders estimated the distance to the Cherokee village of Keowee in the upper South Carolina foothills to be ninety-six miles. By the 1770s, Fort Ninety Six and the adjoining village--located at the crossroads of twelve roads--reached its peak as an important backcountry outpost, boasting a growing population, a newly constructed courthouse and jail. However, the onset of the American Revolutionary War would end this progress and the first land battle south of New England was fought at Ninety Six in 1775. The fort and town would change hands many times between those fighting for independence and those still loyal to England, leaving the town in shambles by the close of the war.

Old Ninety Six: A History and Guide, by Robert Dunkerly and Eric Williams, is a well-researched and highly accessible work, which underscores the important contribution of Ninety Six to the early history of South Carolina and guides the reader through the well-preserved fort that stills stands at the site today.

Over 80,000 of woodland acres became the home of America's first forestry school and the heart of the East's first national forest formed under the Weeks Act.

When George Vanderbilt constructed the Biltmore House, he hired forester Gifford Pinchot and, later, Dr. Carl A. Schenck to manage his forests. Now comprising more than 500,000 acres, Pisgah National Forest holds a vast history and breathtaking natural scenery. The forest sits in the heart of the southern Appalachians and includes Linville Gorge, Catawba Falls, Wilson Creek Wild and Scenic River, Roan Mountain, Max Patch, Shining Rock Wilderness and Mount Pisgah. Author and naturalist Marci Spencer treks through the human, political and natural history that has formed Pisgah National Forest.

Historically, western North Carolina has been a haven for summer camps, sustaining one of the highest concentrations of summer camps in America. For generations, the natural beauty, rustic terrain, and cool climates of the southern Appalachian Mountains have attracted campers from around the world. In the last decades of the 19th century, the summer camp movement arose in the Northeast in response to industrial era concerns about the waning of traditional values and new child development theories. By the turn of the 20th century, the first residential summer camps had emerged around the popular resort towns of Asheville, Hendersonville, Brevard, Black Mountain, and Lake Lure, North Carolina. Founded on lakeshores surrounded by woodlands, these camps offered an array of activities, such as archery, canoeing, horseback riding, swimming, and woodcraft, that instilled lifelong lessons in youth and forged lasting friendships. Today, many of the same camp traditions like council rings and campfire stories are still passed along each summer. Readers will recognize familiar cabins and lakefronts with nostalgia in this collection of vintage photographs.

Running along the western border of the state, the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina have beckoned explorers, settlers, and tourists for generations. Within the ridges and valleys of these mountains, spectacular natural features abound, such as Blowing Rock, Looking Glass Falls, and Linville Gorge. Here, the highest mountain peak in North Carolina, Mount Mitchell, rises to an astonishing 6,684 feet. Recreationally, these mountains boast massive tourist appeal; visitors can hike the Appalachian Trail, drive the Blue Ridge Parkway, or explore the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. This title showcases the natural beauty of the unique mountain range and the numerous mountain communities that many call home.

For centuries, the majesty and mystery of the Great Smoky Mountains have lured mankind.

The Cherokee were among the first to build thriving communities here, and backcountry frontiersmen were next to put down roots. In time, visitors arrived, eager to take in the cool mountain air, and returned home with stories of ""hillbillies."" Then came those who used the mountains for their own advantages, such as lumber barons, armed with steam shovels and skidders. Eventually, civic boosters from western North Carolina and east Tennessee took note and began advocating for the protection of the Great Smoky Mountains. Before a national park could be established, though, there were competing interests to be sorted and a consideration of the lives affected.

Great Smoky Mountains National Park has some of the highest, oldest, and most picturesque mountain peaks and ridges in the United States. Discover its history.

Its mountains, rivers, and scenic gorges constitute a formidable barrier between Tennessee and North Carolina. The struggle to acquire the land for the park from 10 large lumber companies and hundreds of small landholders started in 1923 and lasted more than 15 years. More than half of the 500,000 acres acquired for the park had been logged before the park's dedication in 1940, but thousands of acres of old growth forest still survive. One of the most biologically diverse regions in North America-with thousands of species of plant and animal life, including 125 species of native trees-the park was designated an International Biosphere Reserve by the United Nations in 1976 and a World Heritage Site in 1983.