Cataloochee tract 280: J. M. Caldwell

Title: Cataloochee tract 280: J. M. Caldwell
Date: 1928; 1930-12-08
Description: This is an example of the paperwork involved in the land-purchasing process that Anne Davis promoted.
This 39-acre tract 280 and 280a in the Mount Sterling section of Cataloochee was owned by J. M. Caldwell. While, in general, the Great Smoky Mountains region was sparsely populated, the Cataloochee Valley remained an exception. By 1900, the population of Cataloochee had grown to 1,000 residents living in hundreds of log and frame homes. A few historic buildings have been preserved on site, including two churches, a school, several homes, and outbuildings. The North Carolina Park Commission was tasked with purchasing land for the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and people living in Cataloochee were among those displaced. Cataloochee families continue to return for annual reunions. In 2001, the National Park Service re-introduced elk into the valley.
Publisher: North Carolina Park Commission;
(digital) Hunter Library Digital Collections, Western Carolina University, Cullowhee, NC 28723
Rights Holder: Great Smoky Mountains National Park
NPS Region: Southeast