Southern Appalachian Digital Collections

Western Carolina University (20) View all

Spruce, North Carolina, incline machine

  • wcu_canton-2083.jpg
  • Champion Fibre Company began operations in the planned logging community of Sunburst in 1907. In 1911 Sunburst moved 4 miles downstream and renamed the upstream site Spruce, currently known as the Sunburst Campground. In November, 1925, after a dry summer, a major fire depleted the forest. Sunburst remained in production until September 15, 1926. In the following years, the logging camp was removed, the West Fork of the Pigeon River was dammed and Lake Logan was created. This photograph shows an incline machine at Raven's Gap near Spruce. Using steam and a boiler, the incline machine controls the cable that hoists and lowers cars up and down a very steep railroad track.