Summer
Souvenir
Edition
SECTION C
Summer
Souvenir
Edition
SECTION C
PROGRESSIVE
LIBERAL
INDEk'JYDEJY2
VOL. LIV, NO. 29
FRANKLIN, N. C. THURSDAY, JULY 20, 1939
$1.50 PER YEAR
Girl Scouts
Have, Many Activities
By Mrs. Chas., Melichar
Scout Captain
Twenty-seven Franklin girls be
tween the ages of ten and eighteen
are Girl Scouts. An even greater
number .of Franklin men and vom
tn have earned the right to be
tailed "Good Scouts."
The ruins' of Scouting are many;
its organization is highly develop
ed, lk'cause of the regulations,
parents are assured of t wholesome,
. safe activities for their girls. This
means that every activity re
uires a great deal of planning,
supervision and cooperation.
As part of every group, in ad
dition to 'the Scout Captain sev
eral women are registered a.' Lieu
tenants. These assistants to the
captain of the Franklin troop are
.Mrs. John Wasilik, Mrs. Tom Mc
Collum, and Sarah Conley; leader
ship of the troop is divided among
them. 1
Also a part of the required troop
organization is the Troop Commit
tee, whose members, Mrs. Herbert
E. Church, Mrs. Gordon Moore,
Mrs. Mark Dowdle, and Mrs. Zeb
Conley unite in the planning of
activities. Through them, extra
leaders and outside assistance is
enlisted as required. The response
has been more than generous.
First project undertaken this
year by the girls was a tea honor
ing Mrs. Samuel Lumpkin whose
gift to the Scouts of her home for
a camp had just been effected.
For tins' .undertaking Mrs. Mark
Dowdle gave her home; Mrs. Ben
Woodruff, a former leader of the
troop, furnished the silver tea
service. Other people of. the town
t. 1 1 .licl.oc -r.rt Pfl 11 i HTTien t.
lUIUIMlCU viJti- ttliu . 1
While the girls took complete
charge of the affair, a large num
ber of local women stood by with
advice and help for emergencies.
The Scouts went to camp. Mrs.
John Wasilik and Mrs. Kay Brandt
undertook the task of raising
money to properly register Scout
committees at headquarters and
' fulfill requirements demanded in
(Securing camp permissions. Due
. to the ready ."willingness of the
..miiIu tn 1-ifln Hip crirls. more
was raised than was needed.
Health certificates for the girls
were necessary; Dr. W.. A. Rogers
supplied them. Local trustees of
' the Lumpkin camp, Mrs Herbert
E. Church and Dr. J. E. Perry,
.,,t,Io frin aftpr trin tn the camp
. 1' i - -
to put it in readiness for the
Scouts. Beds were needed and
many local people promptly volun
teered the loan of cots. One. was
given outright to the camp by
James Coman.
Under the supervision of the
Rev. Frank Bloxham and Jimmie
Hauser, Boy Scouts cleaned the
camp, cut wood, built outdoor seats'
and fireplace and stacked wood
for bonfires.
When , cars for transporting the
girls were, necessary, Franklin
pople were not asked twice the
town turned out en-masse with
many more cars than were needed.
Of the many regulations' re
quired by headquartens' for the
safety of the girls, one stipulated
that for every eight girls one adult
be constantly at camp. In addi
tion a camp nurse was required.
Many women volunteered their as
sistance. Mrs. Grace Omohundfta,
Mrs, Roba Tessier, Mrs. Zeb Coi
ley, Mrs. Gordon Moore, Mrs.
Herbert Church and Mrs. John
.Waisilik all assisted the Captain
by spending days and nights at
camp. In addition, Mrs. Tom Mc
Collum spent her full time at camp
Serving also as camp nurse.
Many , treats were sent to the
girls. T. W. Porter sent the
Scouts off with a 20 pound ham,
part of which was later sold to
add to the scouts funds. Tom
McCollum treated the girls with
oranges' while they were still at
camp. Mr. and Mrs. J. O. Wer-
tU. atrm with ha-
nanas; Mrs. John Wasilik and
Mrs. Li. E. Church treated with
strawberries, and . Mr. and Mrs
Gordon Moore with N candy. So
many were the kindnesses arrang
ed for the girls that all cannot be
listed. ' ' .
More recently Major Carmack
arranged a free swim x for the
Scouts at the Country Club. An
drew Jones gave his services aiS
the required life guard.
When ladies of the Episcopal
Church held a forma tea, the.
scouts were invited for the movies
following,
i Handcraft projects require equip
ment. For the making of looper
clip pot holders, looms have been
hand made by Jim Averell and W.
D. Keener.
One more plan for the girls is
the building .of a scout house.
. Boy scouto have offered to build
it and a suitable site is available.
It is hoped that before long the
: -t - ...ill I. A nnacpcanfQ rtf a work
1119 Will UC - ' -
and play bouse of their own.
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Gat.
Macon Has Many Interesting
Spots On Appalachian Trail
Mountain Pathway Runs
For 2,050 Miles From
Maine To Georgia
Winding across mountain tops
through- fertile ' valleys from Mt.
Katahdin in Maine to Fort Ogle
thorpe in Georgia is the Appa
lachian Trail. The trail enters the
Nantahala National Forest from
the Great Smokies near Tapoco,
North Carolina, across Yellow
Creek Mountain range, down Che
oah. Mountains to the Grassy Top.
Here if drops, down to the Nan
tahala River, follows the river to
Wesser Creek, turning up Wes.se r
Creek to Wesser Bald, which is
the northern end of the Nantahala
Mountains, south on the Nantahala
Mountain range through Tellico
Gap past Wayah Bald through
Wayah Gap (just 15 miles from
Franklin) south to Little Ridge
Pool Mountain where this, range
jeins the Blue Ridge Mountains,
then north through Deep Gap,
south to North Carolina and Geor
gia line.
This trail is . marked with in
teresting 'stopping places recently
developed by the Forest Service,
such as the camp area at Wayah
Gap. Here a trail shelter and
fireplace have been provided. Ade
quate sanitary facilities have been
provided and plenty of pure drink
ing! water. The same is true at
Deep Gap. Located approximate
ly 500 feet below the top ot
Standing Indian (5,498 feet) this is
indeed an inspiring place to set
up a camp... Alany interesting siae
trails lead from these two' areas.
Both are eosily reached by auto
mobile ,so that the auto traveler as
well ' as the hiker, can find ideal
facilities lor overnight camping.
Shelters are being built or have
been built along the trail sj that
stations are now located on an
average of 10 miles apart.
Forest Scrvio Aids Trail
The Appalachian . Trail is a pro
ject of a group of hiking clubs in
the Eastern and Southern states,
the idea taking form in 1921. Since
1927, the organization of various
groups interested in nature study
and hiking, cofposed largely of
professional and scientific men and
women, in' meetings at various
points along the trail, have pushed
actively the completion of his
trail for foot travel trom Mt.
trail for foot travel from Maine
to Georgia a distance of
2,050 miles. The idea grew from
that of a hiking trail to the plan
of a distinct type of recreational
area a narrow strip extending the
length of the trail that woutd not
be encroached upon by highways
or other interrupting obstructions.
The United States Forest Service
has been largely responsible for
making possible the setting aside
of this isolated and restricted area
solely for hiking and camping.
Where the trail passes through
the national forests and. parks, the
forest service protects and de
velopi the trail, , -
A Volunteer Project
This unique development is en
tirely a volunteer project carried
on by groups associated in the
Appalachian Trail conference.
Headquarters of the conference are
located in Washington, P. C.
Three representatives appointed
from U districts form its govern
NORTH CAROLINA PORTION
APPALACHIAN TRAJ
Tenn.
Omi.inu..
,Jy''f -
Rich Kno
T l&i
ing board which holds biennial
conferences. In 1936 the southern
district, comprising membership of
clubs of Tennessee, Virginia, North
and South Carolina met in Frank
lin with headquarters at Trimont
Inn, and held their district gath
ering on Standing Indian, hiking
over a part of the most beautiful
as well as most difficult part of
the' trail in Macon county. Again,
in . 138, a large group of mem
bers assembled in Franklin, - prin
cipally from Georgia, hiking from
Arrowvvood over Wesser Bald and
up to the tower on Wayah.. On
this occasion moving pictures were
shown of parts of the trail in
Georgia and North Carolina to. the
group assembled in the spacious
lobby of Trimont Inn.
Visitors to the National Museum
in Washington during the past
Spring enjoyed the treat of a rare
exhibit of prize photographs tak
en by artists along the entire
length of the trail, filling several
of . the large exhibition rooms.
Thus the trail is making a con
tribution to the artistic as well as
recreational and ; scientific fields
of nature study in the Eastern
United States.
All Year Twail
At practically any time of. the
year the southern leg of the Ap
palachian Trail may be traversed,
offering varied opportunities for
enjoyment and nature study
through the changing seasons.
During the summer months the
mountains are glorious with a suc
cession of laurel, rhododendron
and the many colored varieties of
azalea, a rich carpet of small
plants and blossoms border the
path of the traveler from early
Spring before the frost disappears
to the cold advent of wnter.
Then the conifers and other ever
greens afford a rich field of study.
The traveler from Maine will fiid
that the spruce and fir grow
much larger in the more friendly
southern forests than in the cold
North. Then the magnificent for
ests of hardwood offer absorbing
opportunity for study and obser
vation in their variety and beauty.
The Great Smokies and the Nan
tahalas alone contain more spe
cies of trees than all the conti
nent of Europe.
The Balds
Many features unique to this
section attract the student, per
haps the, most puzzling being the
"bald" mountains, still an unsolved
mystery to geologists. Several of
these grass and shrub covered
peaks are traversed by the trail.
They are devoid of trees, although
neighboring peaks of higher alti
tude may ' be covered with for
ests. The balds have been made
the sites of the watchtowers of
the forest service, where lonely
rangers are stationed the year
round to guard against the spread
of forest fires. These bald moun
tain tops furnish to the mountain
clumber clear views of some of the
most, magnificent scenery m the
United States. The sweeping view
of fountain ranges and valleys
around the entire horizon fnm
the Byrnes Memorial tower on
Wayah Bald has been rated by
travelers to exceed in grandeur
and sheer beauty any other view
in all of the Southern mountains.
Trail Guides
The government now offers de-
f rvi .....s"io' tw "v:-t
rt..a...iS.. PJ
SPMiNOt
A Beautiful
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Ml PHOAH I
' ItSCNO
A corner of the large living' room of the lodge, the ' main build
ing of the Franklin Lodge and Golf Club owned and operated by
Major and Mrs. J. Frank Carmack.
tailed geological survey n.aps that
furnish accurate guides to the
whole area skirted by the Appa
lachian Trail. Many Inviting side
trails extend all along the route.
The headquarters of the Appa
lachian Trail conference at 901
Union Trust Building, Washington,
D. C, will furnish information to
the traveler -in its publications,
"Guide to Southern Appalachians''
and the "Supplement" which was
issued this year, both I f $1.50.
Coming into Macon county
across Yellow Creek -mountain
range' at the gap one finds a
Major Carmack Buys Lodge
And Golf Club Property
Announcement has been made
that Major J. Frank Carmack has
purchased the Franklin Lodge and
Golf course situated on the Geor
gia road, a isJiort distance from
the town limits Of Franklin.
This beautiful property includes
a golf course originally developed
by Gilmer Jones on a site ad
joining his home, and the Nikwaski
Camp for Girls which was built
and directed by Miss Laura Jones
comprising a total of more than
90 acres of wooded and rolling
land surrounded by beautiful views
of the mountains. Later the title
went to the Franklin Recreation
Association under whqs'e owner
ship a concrete swimming' pool
was built.
Many improvements have been
made since Major and Mrs. Car
mack became interested in the
property. In 1935 they came to
Franklin from their home in
Tampa, Fla,, to spend the summer.
Both enthusiastic golfers, they
soon realized that the golf course
and adjoining camp property pos
sessed possibilities for develop
ing an ideal summer . resort.
During this first summer spent
in Franklin as a visitor, Major
Carmtck's interest in the golf
course wais shown in many ways
where his voluntary services con
tributed much to the improvement
of the course and the pleasure of
golfers through the direction of.
tournaments. Finding this location
ideal liot summer residence, Major
and Mrs. Carmack leased the prop
erty for a term of three years,
during that time making extensive
permanent improvements at their
)
MT. MITCHIUV
O BlACK MOUNTAIN
HiNoimeNvu.it
Appalachian Tbail.
Tapoco
Dial GaP)N C. I08-2J ,
NfwFouMOQAp; N.C. 107
OetP Gap; NX. 208
DeviH Fokk&Ap: N.C. 212
w Jjpivtr gapj m.c.i
N.C. 29
SCALE.
16
2 Mae
Interior
1.
graded trail which has been made
less difficult by the recent im
provements of the Nantahala For
est Service and the CCC.
During the last few seasons
many have come to Franklin from
New England and less distant
points to traverse the Nantahala
section of the trail. It is the ob
ject of many members to cover
the whole trail from Maine to
Georgia on foot during successive
vacations.
Nantahala .Itinerary
Part of the route parallels the
(Continued on Page Eight)
own expense. Their friends and
the entire community welcome the
news that they have acquired
ownership, thus: insuring their per
manent residence and continued
development of this important fea
ture of the town's recreational
assets.
The sporty golf course surround
ed ' by superb mountain scenery
has been brought to a high stan
dard of which any town might be
proud and is kept in beautiful con
dition. Major Carmack has, stated
that a period of development of
the entire property has been plan
ned, including building of summer
cottages and improvements with
more advantage's' offered guests.
The lodge and golf course are
approached by a good gravel road
leading from the U. S. Highway
23 about half mile. At present
there are seven cottages with
room accommodations for 35
guests. All meals are served in
the spacious lodge building. The
high standard of the menage is at
tested by the fact that during the
season there is a capacity number
of gUQsits and many turned away
for lack of room.
An atmosphere of restful com
fort pervades this delightful place
where out-of-door life and whole
some recreation are offered in an
ideal setting Swimming pool, ten
nis courts and a golf and re
freshment shop are additional at
tractions. Major Carmack offers
golf lessons to beginners, while
tournaments with neighboring re
sorts are arranged to furnish pleas
ant diversion throughout the sea
ion. . r '
Highlands
The Place ami Its People
By Mrs. H. G. Story
Highlands is' situated on a beau
tiful plateau near the -crest of the
Blue Ridge' Mountains .in the
Southern part of Macun rounty.
Tie town .sue was luid out in 'the'
spring 'of 1875, in the then almost
unbroken forest. The village is
the highest incorporated town east
of the Mississippi; with an aver
age altitude of 4,100 feet, and the
climate is unusually stimulating,
the great altitude prevcntiirg the
temperature from reaching un
pleasant heights. The average
summer temperature is about 05
degrees, and the extreme heat un
der 90 degrees.
in Highlands are to be found a
modern library, with more than
5,000 .volumes; four churches; a
number of . first-class hotels two
with steam 'heat for winter tour
ists a moving picture theatre
equipped with the latest' sound
system, amusement centers, a mu
seum' and biological laboratory,
which is the joy of scientists from
all parts of the country, its presi
dent, Dr. W. C. Coker, ot the
University of North Carolina,
Chapel Hill, is occupying his sum
mer home here in Lin'denwood
l'ark One mile to the west of
town is the Highlands! Country
Club This Country Club owns
one of the finest 18-hole golf
courses in the South, on which
Bobby Jones, world-famous golier.
st.ll plays his daily round of golf
when occupying his summer hiine
at the Country Club. The house'
now owned by Miss Albertina
Staub on East Main Street is the
oldest residence in town, and was
built by the hue Squire Stanhope.
W. Hill of Horse Cove, in 1877.
Miss Staub is one of Highlands
foremost civic leaders and is a
charter member and trustee of the
Highlands 1 Museum.
Among the points of interest in
and around Highlands is Kavenel
Park,- or Sunset Rocks, given to
the town as a park by Miss Mar
guerite . Kavenel, her sisters and
brother, as a memorial . to their
parents, the late Mr. and Mrs. S.
P. Kavenel, to be kept perpetually
free for the use of the public.
Anyone would be amply repaid for
a hike or a drive up there on a
clear evening1 to view the setting
sun; the sight is gorgeous beyond
description. A fine ' view of the
village can also be had from this
place On the east side of Sunset
Rocks,- by way of a trail, one gets .
a beautiful view of Horse Cove,
a sheer drop of almost a thousand
feet below. Out Kelsey Trail to
Highlands Falls and on to White
side Mountain is another lovely
trip. From Sunrise view on the
Highway near Whiteside Mountain
is to be had one of the most won
derful views of mountain ranges
in the country.
Also to the north of Highlands
lies the Primeval Forest, covering
an extensive area. A hike through
this forest would not soon be for
gotten, and a guide is necessary
for the trip. Shortoff Mountain
is attractive to lovers of mountain
climbing. From the top of Sa
tulah Mountain to thex south of
Highlands one may lodk into three
states Georgia, South Carolina,
and Tennessee.. On this mountain
side is the' summer home of Mr.
and Mrs. Henry W. Sloan, and
their famous, but now . private,
Cheonondah Gardens.
This section abounds in clear,
beautiful lakes, and a few of
them are Mirror Lake, along
whose shores a colony of Clem
son College professors have built
summer homes; Lake Sequoyah,
named for the Chief of the Cher
okee Indian tribe; and Ravenel
Lake, , so named in honor of S. P
Kavenel of Charleston, whose fam
ily has figured so prominently in
the history of Highlands.
Among the waterfalls' are Bridal
Veil Falls, two ' miles out, under
which Highway 28 passes; Dry
Falls, also On Highway 28 three
miles out, which received its name
because of the ability of hikers to
cross the river under the falls
without becoming wet; and upper
and lower Cullasaja Falls,' where
the CUllasaja River tumbles 1200
feet within a few miles. Other
interesting falte are Highlands
Falls near Whiteside Mountain,
and Glen Falls just off the Dillard
highway.
Highlands may truly be called a ,
garden for the botanist, the de
light of the scientist and horti
culturist, and a paradise for the
vacationist, as well as "The Roof
Garden of the Southeast."
Birmingham, Ala., has been se
lected as the fourth city in which
the food order stamp plan for
distributing agricultural surpluses
through normal trade channels will
be tried.