Pictures 3: Great Smoky Mountains National Park settlements

I had no idea that much of the GSMNP was once settled; Cades Cove in particular had a population of more than 700 people in 1900. When the park was established in the '30s, its remaining residents were forced from their homesteads. Many historical buildings are preserved as exhibits.

Click any image to see the larger version on Photobucket.


The "Primitive Baptist Church" from behind; it's "Primitive" as opposed to the later-established Missionary Baptist Church further down the road.


Patrick, JD and Emily on the path around the graveyard

30 more pictures below the jump...





Old gravestones


Willie, borned in 1919.


Pews. This church still holds masses.


Bible. It was starting to get a little dark.


The Methodist church had a door for women and a door for men. Some volunteers were cleaning inside so we didn't go in.


We did, however, explore the Methodist cemetery.


Many graves had old versions and new versions.


The John Oliver cabin is about a quarter-mile walk from the main road, but it is very cool. We also lucked out and arrived there just as a volunteer ranger was getting there to tell visitors the history of the cabin and the park. This was the first white man-built structure in the cove and eventually housed the Oliver family, which had 12 members (but since the eighth baby was born by the time the first baby was grown, probably only 10 people ever lived in it at once. So it was downright roomy!).


The "tater hole" in the floor of the cabin


The attic, where the men and boys slept (women, girls and babies slept downstairs)


Rebecca Cable, better known as Aunt Becky, lived in this house near the Cable Mill. She never married. She took in roomers and was basically the heart of the Cades Cove community til her death at age 98 in 1940. This is her house, which is quite large by any century's standards.


Cable house from behind


Inside the Cable house


Inside the Cable house


The Cable Mill is still functioning. I am always super psyched about old-school feats of engineering, and this did not disappoint.


Cable Mill


Inside the Cable Mill (it was spinning)


Flume to Cable Mill


There are all kinds of old things to climb on. So we did. All Pat needs is two oxen and he can plow those fields we don't have.

Patrick in the Dan Lawson Place

Cool lines at the Tipton Place


All the old buildings were set up like this. I'm tempted to say this is ridiculously unsafe, but seeing as these buildings have been standing for at least 150 years, I guess it's okay.


Patrick peeks into the "stranger room" at Tipton Place. It is exactly what it sounds like; a room with no direct access to the main house, for strangers to sleep in.


Tipton Place


I forget which house this was, but it's cool. Allso, the GSMNP is the most-visited park in the country (10 million people per year), so as a result it's also probably the most vandalized. Pretty much every surface has carving and writing in it. People are stupid.


Henry Whitehead Place


The Cantilever Barn at the Henry Whitehead place - seriously a very cool building.


You can climb up inside the parts that hang over.


Cool light in the cantilever barn.


Dogs aren't allowed anywhere except campgrounds and two designated trails at the Smokies, so Blake had to hang out in the car while we poked around the buildings. Keep in mind that his bed is just to the right of the frame here, so he could have sat on it - but he preferred to lay on our stuff.