Western Carolina University WCU University of North Carolina Asheville UNCA

Southern Appalachian Digital Collections

Western Carolina University (21) View all
University of North Carolina Asheville (6) View all
WCU - Great Smoky Mountains - A Park for America

Cataloochee tract 207: D. W. Caldwell

items 2 of 2 items
  • record image
Copyright Download
Item 1 - Cataloochee tract 207: D. W. Caldwell

Cataloochee tract 207: D. W. Caldwell

GSMNP_Cata-207-207a

Cataloochee tract 207: D. W. Caldwell

GSMNP_80235
Item
?

Item’s are ‘child’ level descriptions to ‘parent’ objects, (e.g. one page of a whole book).

  • "CATALOOCHEE HISTORIC DISTRICT: CULTURAL LANDSCAPE REPORT GREAT SMOKY MOUNTAINS NATIONAL PARK January 2000 Dianne L. Flaugh Historical Landscape Architect Cultural Resources Resource Management Great Smoky Mountains National Park National Park Service CHAPTER 4: INDIVIDUAL TRACTS 105 D. W. Caldwell Tract (207a) Refer also to Palmer Methodist Church and Cemetery Tract (218) Location Tract 207a is an 18.6-acre parcel located north of Cataloochee Creek below the juncture ofPalmer Creek and Rough Fork. History This tract part of a larger parcel inherited by Elizabeth Palmer in 1896, from the estate of Jesse Palmer. After her death the property passed to her mother, Mary A. Palmer. Excluding a lot sold to Methodist Church trustees, this land passed to Thomas Palmer ( 1901 ); William and Milia Palmer (1922); J. R. Morgan, trustee ( 1925); and Dillard W. Caldwell in 1928. The NCPC purchased the property in 1931. Little is known of the early use of this parcel. It is likely that portions of this property, especially the level bottom land, were cleared and farmed. According to Gudger Palmer, the bam sat in the field behind the church, close to the CCC road. 1 Mark and Harold Hannah recair that the field was open-pasture and .livestock grazed right up to the church.2 Parts ofthis tract continued to be used for agriculture through 1941. Lush Caldwell leased and farmed eight acres ofbottomland on the tract from 1938, through 194l.ln 1942, designs were being completed for a campground that would have utilized portions ofthis tract. CCC crews began planting trees in the proposed campground area in 1942. Vegetation NCPC records indicate this tract consisted of twelve acres of bottomland and six acres of upland. Survey drawings (ca. 1935) made note only one apple tree. This tree could be found in the field behind the church. Circulation Cook's Lane ran through the Milia Palmer tract (219) along the east property line of the D. W. Caldwell tract 207a. Gudger Palmer recalls that Cook's Lane ran between two fence lines and along the branch east of the church to connect with the old settler road.3 The old settlers' road is found along the southern edge of this parcel near Cataloochee Creek. During the 1940s the CCC built a new road through the meadows of Cataloochee. It replaced the old settlers' road and cut through the fields of tract 207a at the rear of the church. A road on the west bank of Palmer Creek ran along the southwest boundary ofthis property. It provided access to farms along Palmer Creek and Davidson Branch. Structures, Furnishings, and Objects Records indicated that the property included a log house, frame chicken house, and log · bam with a galvanized iron roof A small sketch map shows that the house was located· ,I, I 106 CULTIJRAL LANDSCAPE REPORT: CATALOOCHEE HISTORIC DISTRICT west of the bam and closer to the old settler road. Gudger Palmer describes the location of the house as being up and across the current road from the bam. No specific dates of construction or photographs are available for the any of the structures. None of these buildings were noted on the survey drawings (ca. 1935). Survey drawings (ca. 1935) indicate that fencing divided the bottomland of this parcel into two fields. It also ran along the property lines and at the base of the slope. Except for the wood fence that separated the church lot from this parcel there is no indication of the types of fencing used on this parcel. Existing Conditions Visitors to the church use the open field behind Palmer Methodist Church for various recreational activities including picnics. During special events at the church parking is allowed on the field. A portion of the field behind the church has been maintained as neatly mown lawn. The western comer of this field and all land north of the CCC built road has reforested and is dominated by white pine, tulip poplar, red maple, and sycamore. Yucca plants found nearby the cemetery may mark the location of a structure or may have simply spread from the cemetery. Cook's Lane, in the immediate vicinity of Palmer Methodist Church Cemetery, is visible but beyond the cemetery entrance it becomes impossible to track. Cataloochee Creek Road (CCC built road) provides vehicular access to the church site. The road pavement ends here and the road surface becomes gravel. Visitors park along the edge of the road behind the church and near the bridge over Palmer Creek. The road that provided access to farms along Palmer Creek and Davidson Branch remains a narrow gravel lane approximately nine feet wide. It provides access to the horse camp. There are no obvious remnants of the structures that stood on this site. Nearly all signs of fencing have vanished except for a line of wood fence posts along the base ofthe slope. Analysis and Evaluation Other than the relationship of the open fieldwith Palmer Methodist Church little remains of the historic landscape. All of the other agricultural field areas have reforested. Some remnant fence posts and rock piles provided the only tie to agricultural use. There are no extant structures, and few clues about the organization of the historic structures. With the exception of the historic route along Palmer Creek there are no extensive traces of historic routes through the site. NOTES 1 Gudger Palmer, Interview by Jacqueline Lott and author, Written notes, Cataloochee, NC, 27 March 1998. 2 Mark Hannah and Harold Hannah, Jacqueline Lott, Written notes, Abingdon, VA, 28 October 1996. 3 Gudger Palmer, Interview by Jacqueline Lott and author.
Object
?

Object’s are ‘parent’ level descriptions to ‘children’ items, (e.g. a book with pages).

Related items

Part of Collection

Great Smoky Mountains - A Park for America

This digital collection was created to contribute to the public's understanding of the forces and ideas that led to the establishment of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in 1934. The most vi...

View collection Read introduction
panzoom image
converted_cover_pdf