Southern Appalachian Digital Collections

Western Carolina University (20) View all

View from Appalachian Trail

  • wcu_great_smoky_mtns-6311.jpg
  • This photograph, looking eastward from Appalachian Trail south of Wauchecha Bald, is included in the records of the Smoky Mountains Hiking Club. Bushnell and Bryson City are in this general direction. The picture was taken by Harvey Benjamin Broome (1902-1968), a Knoxville attorney and avid conservationist who advocated for the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The back of the picture is stamped “Jim Thompson Co.,” indicating it was probably printed by hiking club member James E. (Jim) Thompson (1880-1976), a professional photographer who played a major role in promoting a national park in the Southern Appalachians. The Smoky Mountains Hiking Club was formed after a group of outdoor enthusiasts hiked up to Mount LeConte in October 1924.