Old wallet helps archivist breathe new life into Cades Cove history

Word from the Smokies

BY SUE WASSERMAN · CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Old wallet helps archivist breathe new life into Cades Cove history

When a wallet talks, Mike Aday listens. At least, metaphorically speaking.

In fact, coaxing such a curious conversation is part of Aday’s job as the archivist for Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Part of my role as the 2022 Steve Kemp Writer in Residence is to learn more about how he brings history to life in addition to breathing new life into history.

As has so often been the case throughout my residency, I had no idea there was such a place as the Collections Preservation Center. The six-year-old, climate-controlled, 14,000square-foot building in Townsend, Tennessee, is home to an impressive 1.4 million records, ranging from maps and photographs (35,000 of them) to Cherokee pottery shards and Appalachian farm tools, and so much in between. The collection under Aday’s purview has items dating back to 1780.

“The human history you find in archival holdings is fascinating,” he says. “It’s amazing all the life that happens outside of the public eye.”

Aday is the impassioned gatekeeper, collecting, protecting and sharing the wealth of information, all of which ties back to the national park. The compilation of genealogical information alone is impressive, which is understandable given the fact that the park is comprised of 1,600 separate tracts of land.

“Someone sees their name on a tombstone and wonders if they’re related,” he says. “The question gets back to me to try and answer.”

For Aday, business as usual often involves working with academics digging into various aspects of Southern Appalachian history. You can often find him sharing the collections through his community outreach efforts, helping people understand the park and its history better. He even makes time, and gladly so, to answer questions from 10-year-olds regarding how The Smoky Mountains got their name.

While it’s uncommon these days for Aday to get new donations to the collections, it still happens. The aforementioned wallet was just such a donation. It was delivered into the park’s hands by the great-great-granddaughter of Cades Cove resident Elijah Oliver.

“Oliver was born in 1824, the son of the first White European family to settle in Cades Cove,” Aday offers. “He became a prominent figure in the community.”

According to Aday, Oliver’s wallet looked more like a leather pocketbook than a traditional man’s wallet and was crammed full of folded bits of paper.

“Like George Costanza from ‘Seinfeld,’ whose notoriously overstuffed wallet was the fodder for many jokes,” Aday says, “it was pretty clear Elijah had been accumulating these bits and pieces for decades.”

Decades indeed. The oldest piece dated back to 1840 while the most recent was from 1910. Exhilarated by the donation, Aday recounted how he went to work trying to preserve each of the dated documents. The process, he explained, required careful extraction of each item before he could, with equal care, unfold them.

“Each piece had to be meticulously cleaned,” he remembers. “As you can imagine, after all those years, they were filthy. I used special brushes to try and remove the dust.”

Certain he had to humidify the papers to flatten them but unsure how to achieve that, Aday did some online research. The resulting “state-of-the-art” humidifying system was crafted from a white plastic storage container, plastic-coated wire rack and a piece of unbleached muslin paper. Oh, how I wish I could have watched this master at work. I’m not sure I’ve ever used the word “fastidious” before in an article, but I imagine that word clearly applied to Aday’s restoration and preservation efforts.

“I wetted down the muslin, placed the rack on top of it, put the paper on top of the rack, and placed the lid on the container. I checked on it every 15 minutes to see if the fibers had loosened. Then I sandwiched the flattened paper between pieces of blotter paper until it was completely dried. The process took about three weeks during which time I put other projects on hold. When the first batch was completely finished, I texted my wife and told her, ‘Oh my God, it worked!’”

Aday’s efforts yielded serious pay dirt — a window into the past. One document, for example, verified that F

Donated to Great Smoky Mountains National Park by the great-great-granddaughter of Cades Cove resident Elijah Oliver, this wallet came stuffed with bits and pieces of important papers spanning decades.

Great Smoky Mountains National Park Collections Preservation Center photo

After the Civil War the Tennessee state legislature passed a law that in order to vote in elections a person had to be a male over the age of 21 and had to provide proof that they had in no way been connected to the Confederacy. These documents issued to

Oliver (left) provided that proof. Sue Wasserman photo

Tunnel repairs have begun on the northbound Spur between Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge, with ongoing lane closures expected through April 7.

Concrete barriers placed along the center line of the tunnel allow crews to make repairs within the closed lane while allowing through traffic on the open lane. Drivers should proceed slowly and refrain from honking while traveling through the work zone. Closures will be in place 24 hours a day, seven days a week during the construction period.

Crews will replace drains, clean and paint the tunnel interior, replace sodium lights with new LED lights, install a new lighting control system on Huskey Grove Road and install a propane-powered generator for emergency backup. The works is funded through the Federal Highway Administration, which awarded a $10.3 million contract to Bryant’s Land Development of Burnsville. Work should fully complete by June 5, and the contract incentivizes Bryant’s with $10,000 per day for up to 45 days before April 7 to complete work requiring the lane closure early.

The plant doctor is in

The growing season may feel far off, but Haywood County Master Gardeners are available to answer questions about all manner of plant-related issues.

Leave a message at the Cooperative Extension Office at 828.456.3575 or email haywoodemgv@gmail.com with a description of any homeowner gardening issue, including lawns, vegetables, flowers, trees and ornamental plants; disease, insect, weed or wildlife problems; soils (including soil test results) and fertilizers; freeze and frost damage; and cultural and chemical solutions to plant problems. Within a few days, a Haywood County Master Gardener Volunteer will get back to you with research-based information.

During the American Civil War, when East Tennessee was under control of the Union Army it was necessary to carry a pass such as this one issued by the Union military authority, the provost marshal, in order to prove that a person wasn’t a deserter or Confederate spy.

Sue Wasserman photo

Oliver had not been involved in Confederate efforts during the Civil War and was thus allowed the privilege of voting in post-war Tennessee. Another was a pass issued by the Union Provost Marshall, after the region came under the Union’s control, allowing Oliver to be on the road.

Cades Cove community members, according to Aday, supported the abolitionist movement. As a result, the community often served as a temporary safe haven for Union soldiers who had escaped from Confederate prisons. A dedicated advocate of education, Oliver even saved correspondence to the school board authorizing teacher pay.

Such correspondence is not an uncommon find in Aday’s world. In fact, he has selected 20 historic letters that he’s researched and written essays about for a forthcoming book, Letters from the Smokies, to be published by Great Smoky Mountains Association in 2023.

“Some of the topics were difficult to write about, particularly those concerning the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians and the African American history in the park,” he says. “These stories have been underexplored in the past but are crucial to our understanding of the park and its history.”

Knowing the painstaking efforts Aday goes through to bring history and historic voices to life, I have no doubt it will be a book well worth reading. (Sue Wasserman was the 2022 Steve Kemp

Writer-in-Residence and is the author of “A Moment’s Notice” and “Walk with Me: Exploring Nature’s Wisdom.” She has also written for the New York Times and Southern Living. She lives in Bakersville, North Carolina.)

Cataloochee offers program for women

A six-week winter sports program aimed at women who learn better with female instructors starts on Wednesday, Jan. 11, at Cataloochee Ski Area in Maggie Valley.

Women on Wednesdays is a six-week program held 10 a.m. to noon Wednesdays through Feb. 15. After the lesson, which will be taught by Cataloochee’s most advanced female instructors, participants will be able to practice their new skills through 4:30 p.m.

Cost is $125 for lessons only, with an option to pay an additional $289 for a lift ticket or $349 for lift and rentals. Sign up at www.cataloochee.com or contact 828.926.0285 or info@cataloochee.com with questions.

Local EV chapter wins national award

The Blue Ridge Electric Vehicle Club has received the Electric Vehicle Association’s Chapter of the Year Award for the southern region.

According to the EVA, the Blue Ridge chapter was selected for its hard work and dedication to education and advocating for the rapid adoption of electric vehicles. The award will be presented at the association’s annual meeting in Carlsbad, California, on Jan. 28.

The Blue Ridge EV Club is for EV enthusiasts interested in promoting the benefits and joy of driving plug-in electric vehicles. Members are located in and around the Blue Ridge Mountains in Western North Carolina.

A Finding of No Significant Impact from the National Park Service clears the way for the Great Smoky Mountains National Park to start planning a 14-mile trail system in the Wears Valley area that would bring the park its first purpose-built mountain biking trails.

“We understand the public’s desire to have a purpose-built bike trail, and this marks a step for potential future development of a trail in Wears Valley,” said Superintendent Cassius Cash. “Having the signed FONSI allows us the opportunity to explore potential funding paths for both the construction and the annual operational costs.”

The FONSI comes after the NPS prepared an Environmental Assessment examining alternatives and environmental impacts associated with the proposed mountain bike trail system, which would fall within the Wears Valley portion of Foothills Parkway Section 8D in Tennessee.

The selected alternative plans for 11.8 miles of mountain biking trails, to include 4.2 miles of easy trail, 2.9 miles of moderate trail and 4.7 miles of advanced trail. The project would include an additional 2.3 miles of pedestrian-only trails, as well as a 0.93-mile access road. The trailhead would feature a bike wash and repair station, restrooms and picnic tables, as well as an informational kiosk for orientation, trail etiquette and rules for mountain biking.

The project aims to enhance visitor experience by offering mountain biking opportunities. The park has more than 800 miles of trail, but fewer than 8 miles are designated for biking. Public roads within the park are open to biking, but no purpose-built mountain biking trails currently exist. Previous NPS planning efforts between 1968 and 1984 identified Section 8D as one of the most desirable areas for recreational development.

Next steps include a business analysis by the NPS to examine possible operational strategies for a mountain bike trail system. The selected alternative may also include a concession/bike rental building and/or a fee collection station, depending on the identified operational strategy. No funding for construction has yet been identified.

For more information, visit parkplanning.nps.gov/projecthome.cfm?projectid=91987.

Affairs of the Heart

A group explores the forest during a previous Wilderness Wildlife Week guided hike.

Pigeon Forge Department of Tourism photo

Migrate to Wilderness Wildlife Week

Make plans to visit Pigeon Forge for Wilderness Wildlife Week Tuesday, Jan. 24, through Saturday, Jan. 28.

This weeklong celebration of the natural features, creatures and cultures of the Great Smoky Mountains will feature a series of classes, seminars, demonstrations, guided hikes, panel discussions and workshops, with a range of options for both children and adults. Guided hikes range in difficulty from easy to challenging, and different classes are geared towards beginners or advanced students in the different topics.

Along with the classes, workshops and guided hikes through the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Wilderness Wildlife Week in Pigeon Forge will feature vendor booths in an exhibit hall. Visitors can browse booths with photography, local art, handmade goods and more.

Free. For more information, including a full schedule and class descriptions, visit mypigeonforge.com/event/wildernesswildlife-week.

Appalachian Trail gets longer

The Appalachian Trail is now 4.1 miles longer, with its official length for 2023 set at 2,198.4 miles.

The trail’s total length changes slightly each year due to footpath relocations and more precise measurements. The increased length came from changes on the northern half of the trail, including 3 miles added in New York, 0.9 miles in Connecticut and Massachusetts and 0.2 miles in Maine.

For more information, visit appalachiantrail.org/2023miles.

Exhibit displays Bartram Trail inspiration

Through Jan. 7, an exhibition celebrating the Bartram Trail is open at the Bascom Gallery in Highlands.

“Listening to the Land: Reimagining the Bartram Trail” is a nine-month community celebration of the Bartram Trail, and it starts with this project-shaping photography exhibition, titled “With Rapture & Astonishment.” The exhibit highlights how eleven photographers inspired by William Bartram reimagined the landscape he encountered.

A series of workshops, nature walks and dynamic online conversations will follow over the coming months, inviting photographers of all levels to create a community archive of the Bartram Trail that celebrates this region’s rich biodiversity while honoring each person’s unique way of seeing and responding to the land.

Participants will be offered the opportunity to have their photographs juried into an online archive and a community exhibition in Fall 2023 that will bring to light the delicate and beautiful ecosystems that often go unobserved in public green spaces.

For more information, visit thebascom.org.

NHC works on Rock Gap Shelter replacement

The Rock Gap Shelter on the Appalachian Trail in Macon County is no more, as the Nantahala Hiking Club works to replace the aged structure.

“The Nantahala Hiking Club is responsible for the maintenance of 10 shelters along our 60 miles of the Appalachian Trail,” club member Victor Treutel wrote on the most recent NHC newsletter. “Some are in great shape, others are a little tired. Rock Gap shelter was the most tired. It had generations of graffiti and a large colony of mice entrenched within its weathered walls.”

NHC volunteers demolished the shelter and dug up its footers Nov. 9. The next big step was getting the concrete to the building site with a UTV from the U.S. Forest Service. This required a dry trail and coordination with the Forest Service, as well as temperatures above 30 degrees for 48 hours. Due to these constraints, concrete could not be delivered until Dec. 2 and the footers couldn’t be poured until Dec. 10 and 19. A concrete block support wall was built Dec. 21 and the remainder of the demolition debris moved.

To complete the project, the club and USFS must get all the large timber building materials to the site.

The project required evicting some unhappy residents from the structure. NHC photo

Smokies hires three new management team members

Barbara Hatcher, previously a supervisory project manager and engineer for the park, is its new chief of facility management, replacing Alan Sumeriski, who is now the park’s deputy superintendent. She oversees the park’s infrastructure projects, maintenance and operations for 238 miles of paved roads, 848 miles of trails, 10 campgrounds, nine picnic areas and wastewater and water systems. She also partners on projects with the Federal Highway Administration and Denver Service Center. Hatcher’s experience includes working as the transportation branch chief for the Washington Service Office Park Facilities Management Division, serving as acting superintendent of Andersonville National Historic Site and holding several positions in the National Park Service Southeast Regional Office.

Jamie Cupples, the new chief of administration and business services, most recently served as comptroller for Yosemite National Park. In her new position she manages the park’s budget and finance, property and fleet, employee housing and general administration support services. She is also in charge of the park’s fee and concessions programs. Cupples began her NPS career in the Washington Service Office before moving to the Alaska Region, where she held a variety of positions in administration and facility management. She has also served as the administrative officer for several small sites in the Northeast Region. Cupples replaces Dawn O’Sickey, who left for a position as associate regional director for administration and business services in the National Capital Region.

Emily Davis, who now occupies the newly created position of public affairs specialist and spokesperson, serves as the first line of contact for news media and public affairs inquiries, and she will develop communication products and messages. Davis most recently worked as public affairs specialist for the U.S. Forest Service’s Eastern Regional Office in Wisconsin and has previously served as a public affairs specialist and park ranger at Grand Canyon National Park and on detail as a public affairs officer for the Bureau of Land Management.