Newspapers / The Waynesville Mountaineer (Waynesville, … / June 18, 1950, edition 1 / Page 7
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r hi U 1 T 4 :cc:..d aliXSl 19. JJJJJiJ III It I iul Checkup ys This Area est In East fjrei Page 1. 1st Sc In the !Uimmate iathePresi- ir extremities. . .k. urhitp Moun l tk ho smith. 6,288 ll '. " - One Of Many Views From Atop Of Haywood Beech Gap HamDshire (Mt. r- rnlmlnate in 5 oral and specific in the' Western North Complex between the. L and the Great Smoky K Mitchell, 6,684 ft.). Jhingtpn.and its fellow i- from a peneplain (an V, only about 1.000 or L above sea level. In ntains and rolling plains ., Were left by the great "thousands of feet thick) m down from the north Busands of years ago and planed off New England , its present lower level. , ur Western North Carolina ivcrages about 2,000 to (t in elevation and has on .k over 5,000 feet high. ( 49 peaks are over 6,000 great glacier, did not jiis region, and its much reduction in general and altitudes has- been caused irain and river erosion, ex j over hundreds of millions I it should be noted that e of the oldest geological In the eastern United e seen the Presidential ram two sides, and rising bes from a relatively flat its peaks are impressive. also seen something of the Man Highland region from kmpsnire cicar uowu w wig North Carolina line, I nig held the belief that in stretch of territory there single peak of first-class A letter from the U. S. ical Survey states definitely re is not a 6,000-foot moun- wcen Mt, Washington and jh peaks in Western North lg given thi3 uacKgrouna lis setting for the general LI now take the reader fo jd County for a study of its iaks. v;1 :x-sfctw41 ales In Haywood County particular Interest in the Sins of Haywood began when boy, living on a high hill, M out on five massive bal Sd peaks and ten more lower lam-clad mountains, and Ind miles of high mountain And I long wondered how fat welter of mountains had oout and how high' were plendid peaks. Since then I ;arned something of their ood County lies in about Ural part of Western North a plateau. On the south and t it is bounded by the "i range between it and wia County and the up- fes of the French Broad y. On the east it is f by Henderson, Buncombe oison Counties all drained lower French Broad River tributaries. Th lin de I Haywood from these coun. ws the fairly low New "wmniain rldse runn nff w . . r 0 " northwest. On the smith. Hwest the Haywood line m erest of the hieh Bal P"?e runnine nnrthuwet nH f we Great Smokies and icssee line. The Balsams iS N 4 I . ; T A. 5 One of the longest range views in the entire Appalachian moun tains is this one from Beech , Gap, in Haywood County. Tlis is near the famous mvil's Court House, another scenic attraction of this section. This particular view attracts hundreds of photog raphers, because it affords varied, as well as an abundance of photographic material. This area is reached by driving out past Lake Logan, and taking the beautiful road through Sherwood 'Forest.-.;-- ;- ; ' separate the Pigeon River drain age in Haywood from that of the Tuckaseigee in Jackson and Swain counties. On the north Haywood is bounded by the main ridge of the Smokies, and by Tennessee. Haywood County is a natural geological unit a plateau on and above the general plateau region of Western North Carolina. Since Haywood - is a plateali, whose boundary lines run exclusively on mountain ranges, to get into it, one ha'foclimb - uS" an'd -flver tht mountain rim. This I have done in several places: on the southwest from Sylva (2,063 ft.) to Balsam Gap (3,347 ft); on the east from French Broad River (Ecusta, 2,100 ft.) to Wagon Road Gap (4,524 ft) on South Pisgah Ridge; and from the highway in the valley of South Hominy Creek (elevation about 2, 200 ft.) to Hominy Gap (2,678 ft. Canton, 2,587 ft.); on the northeast from the headwaters of Sandy ,Mush Creek (2,250 ft.) a long climb to the gap (about 3,000 ft.) leading to Crabtree Creek; from Hot Springs (1,326 ft.) across the gap to Lower Fines Creek (2,000 ft.) All other approaches to Haywood County are by similar climbs. All these climbs may be likened to the slope of a "sharply-pitched roof. Haywood County is a geographic al unit an interior basin, as may be conjectured from the above. Every square foot of it is drained by Pigeon River and its tributaries, except the little valley of North Hominy Creek three or four' miles long from Canton to Turnpike. Of this, Mr. H. C. Wilburn, who has a very exact knowledge of Haywood County, writes me as follows: (The interpolations in brackets are mine.) "Going from Pisgah north PINES By WATKINS CHEVROLET CO. j -- Capyrigtt' llMThyUie! AJwttol C.fcfc yUr troubles will disappear when you take your j4 ATKINS CHEVROLET CO. and have a new ward, the (boundary) line leaves the Newfound Range at Sugar Top, (runs along a ridge on the east side of North Hominy valley) to Turn pike, and (turning northward) in tersects the Newfound Range at Big Butt Mountain." For this he has no explanation, but I have a possible and even a probable one out of my own experience. About 65 years ago,, four boys were coming down Llckstone North Ridae in" a dense foe , When We cam 10 me iorK in me iran, i une trailer) took the right hand fork in the trail, because the offset ridge looked bigger and the trail more travelled. But about half a mile down it, the fog . lifted a bit and we saw the West Fork of Pigeon below us. We then backtracked to the fork and took the lefthand trail on the main ridge, which led us to Wolf-Pen Gap and thence to Camp Branch and home,. The surveyers of long ago, marking out Hay. wood's eastern boundary (presum ably coming down the Newfound Range from Pisgah) In the dense woods' took the right hand larger appearing ridge at Sugar Top and came? down it to North Hominy Creek at what is now Turnpike Here (instead of retracing their trail to Sugar Top and following the left or main Newfound Range) they followed a ridge Running north from Hominy Creek), which brought them to Big Butt Mountain in the'main Newfound Range. This little North Hominy valley is geo graphically a part of Buncombe and not of Haywood. It should go back to Buncombe, and Haywood's east ern boundary should run on the Newfound Range from Pisgah to Sandy Mush Bald which Range is our true geographical boundary. Then Haywood would be a true geographical unit bounded by mountain ranges all around, with all Its area drained by Pigeon Riv er. To understand this drainage, let us conceive of an arm and Wrist of a right hand laid palm down in the gorge hf re the river breaks through the Great Smoky Ridge, with the fingers pointing south. Between the thumb (the Newfound Range) and first finger is the Up per Pigeon River and its valley, between the fore and middle fin gers Is Richland Creek and val ley, between middle and fourth fingers is Jonathan Creek and val ley, and between fourth and fifth fingers is Cataloochce Creek and valley with the Great Smoky Ridge on the west. Between every two streams is a short mountain range arising In the Balsam Mountains and stretching northeast, growing lower until it ends near the north erly-flowing Pigeon River. This river and almost all its tributaries arise in the high Bal sam Range on our south and south west border. This is a rough sketch, but it makes things somewhat clearer. The Pigeon drainage pla teau is er clrcled by mountains with the break through the Smoky Range into Tennessee, at Watervllle (about 1,396 ft.). Having located Haywood as a geological and a geographical pla teau and drainage basin, an area determined by its boundary moun tains, let us now make a study of the Haywood mountains as fac tors in Its general elevation. Charles E. Ray, of Waynesvllle, Is keenly Interested in the great National Park and forest preserves in Western North Carolina, and Is chairman of tlje State Park Com mission, in nis work, ne nas gained wide knowledge of the physical make-up of this region and recent ly he was quoted In The Waynes- ville Mountaineer as suggesting that Haywood probably has the highest average elevation of any county in North Carolina. Incited by this suggestion, I got out "Al titudes in North" Carolina." Bul letin 27 of the North Carolina Geological and Economic Survey (Raleigh, 1917), and in it found the following figures for Haywood County: Over 6,000 ft, .19 peaks; over 5,000 ft., 34 peaks; .over 4,000 ft., 9 peaks; and in the 3,000 and 3,000-ft. class, 27 peaks. The fig ures for these elevations were all added up and ready to be aver aged, "When I retftf in- The Waync'S ville Mountaineer that there were In Haywood 72 peaks in the 6,000 and 5,000-f t. classes alone. This was mere "they say," no authority being given. My list (from Bulletin 27) showed but 53. A letter of In quiry to Mr. Ray brought the an swer that these figures were tak en from a booklet "Official Data on Western North Carolina's 223 Highest Mountain Peaks,? . compil ed by George W. McCoy and edit ed and published in 1946 by The Citizen-Times of Asheville. A let ter to Charles Robinson, the editor, brought a copy of the pamphlet. Study of the McCoy pamphlet Showed that the peaks are grouped by heights and that within the group, the individual heights arc arranged from highest down to lowest a most convenient ar rangement. Each mountain is lo cated within a county or on the border line of two counties. For the altitude of each peak the auth ority is given U. S. Geological Survey, Tennessee Valley Author ity Survey, Smoky Mountain Park Survey, various U. S. Geological Quadrangle Surveys, and other and older surveys. And in every case there is reference to one or more authorities. Here, then, was some thing seemingly authoritative. Then came, the question How accurately was the work done? Two men, known to me, wrote that they had known the compiler long and favorably. They, of course, had not been able to check up the figures, but they had confidence that they could be relied on. This answered the question, Study of the McCoy booklet (1946) showed many more peaks than are to be found in N. C. Geol. Survey Bulletin 27 (1917). The rea son was not f ar "lo seek. The old surveys had given only the out standing highest peaks over 5,000 ft. in a mountain range. The new er and more exact surveys had giv en not only the big fellows but also the two-threc-or four lower peaks (still above 5,000 ft.) in range. In short, the newer surveys had giv en not only the big brothers but the smaller ones also within the limit above noted. I ne ground being cleared, a careful list of the mountain peaks In Haywood was made by classes and the results will now be pre. sented. These have been checked and rechecked for accuracy. There are in Haywood County or on its boundary lines 19 peaks ranging from 6,621 ft. (Mt. Guyot on the 'Haywood-Tennessee line) down to three peaks each measur ing 6,000 ft. These 19 peaks aver age 6,171 ft. altitude above sea lev el. Then there are In Haywood 54 peaks ranging from 5,941 ft. cleva tlon down to 5,000 ft. Their average is 5,467 ft. Thus there are in Hay wood 73 (54 plus 19) peaks rang lng In height from. 5,020 ft. up to 6,621 ft. truly an Impressive ar ray.. ' '-.. For altitude in Haywood in the ,000-ft. class we must go to N. C. Geol. Survey Bulletin 27 (1917) Here aro listed 9 peaks ranging from 4,930 ft. down to 4,000. Their average is 4,420 ft. But there are in Haywood more 4,000-ft. peaks than are listed, and there are1 miles and miles of mountain range in the 4,000-ft. class, Could the sur- . (Continued on Page 6) LAFF-A-DAY m'?W""s X All - -- - J I--- V 9 v4 , ...... u c.-.. CuliM me ttAfLJ nvhtt mmrwA "J jaiJ, doa't get a swelled head because the FBI is after you!; j THE YOUNGER SET MILDRED MEDFORD High School Senior i Hlg & ii ,ii NSKa jWM9iBM.M ii I A lot has happened since last Thursday . . , and Just a little bit of evcrthing at that! Ralph Felchter had a party (that's just one of the things) and everybody was just almost dead the next morning ' from dancing and eating so much." In fact for the two days to come they weren't feeling so very well. ; Of course they met at The Lodge,; and then piled Into cars and drove off toa movie . . . but the movie-was only a beginning for the party. ' With two life guards (Joe Jack Wells and Richard Crowder), three girls from Iowa State Col lege (Peggy Noland and her two guests, Jo Ann Wilson and "Jackie" Folsum), two boys from Notre Dame (Ralph Feichter, the host, and Hayse Hall), Buzz Bourne, a student at Miami University of Ohio and then, last but not least, the prospective students for col lege next year , . . Bette Hannah, Kathryn Hyatt, and Hallett Ward. I guess they can be called ; just "frosh" ,, . well, everybody Just had a wonderful time. After danc ng for about an hour (doing the "Birmingham Hop"), scrambled eggs, toast, jelly and some very good coffee was waiting then more dancing. When the clock hands started turning around to the larger and smaller numbers on its face . . . it was time to go home with only the memory of a wonderful even ing to remember. Another party, more dancing, and more fun was furnished by Anne Bischoff, who was hostess to five life guards for Lake Junalus ka and their dates on Thursday night. ' The girls in their cotton dresses and the boys in sport clothes were certainly the "fit" clothes for the occasion. Out in the back yard of Anne's home they fried hamburgers, and ate until it was almost impossible to eat any more. Since the first Street Dance was on Thursday night it was just na tural that they would go, So oft to the Street Dance for more danc ing '.'' In case you have forgotten the life guards' names they are: "Lov er Boy' Bill Lewis; "Mountain Boy" Joe Jack Wells; "Dickie Joe" Richard Crowder; "Baby Blue Eyes" Tom Stockton; and Billy Royster I just couldn't find out his nickname so we will just call him "Pretty Boy", (you .know he is good looking)! The girls who had to do all the cooking, as usual, were: Kathleen Calhoun, Nancy BischoiT, Mary Jane Rogers, myself, and Anne . . . who made the perfect hostess. Their only regret is that there is not a street dance every night and that Anne doesn't give a Ham burger Fry every night or just once a week . . at the least, . Five weary gkU started the day off Wedaesda? when they fretted dawn Wednesday morn ing after staying op all night ... on a camping; trip. Those that wanted to sleep couldn't because of Nar Bischoff and Mary Lou Gerririgcv Aho kept the other girls Iuii...V practically all nig hU jWliUe ..Buay - Watkln v Eileen - Gminger ' and Anne Bischoff tried to sleep . . . Nan cy and Mary Lou did everything; possible to keep them awake. That was one merry night, but it just had to end the next morn ing when most of the girls had to leave for work . . . and be lieve me it was kinda hard for any of them to stay awake the next day.., '; ;v , I know, that Bette Hannah is having a wonderful time while in New York. She left, last Friday with her mother for a week's stay In New York ... . seeing the sights and buying fall clothes for the "Town and Country Shop". If it's not a party or tea she la going to, it's off on some big. trip way up North ... come on Bette, and sec if you can't stay home for just one week. ' '. : - . - ; . Johnny Wyrostek of the Cincin nati Reds led the American Asso ciation in batting with a mark, of .358 in 1944. v ; ' 'savE-33-8'n .Yooa fdeL'Bill' VYB Mh" mm Vlifil8b JComes To Waynesville: S Save 33 On Your Fuel Bill H O mi o o vh . . ,. i. ........... . . , , w 'f, .,' t - '''' i i Do Away With Condensation 5 O o mi- an " i ) -i''H'' HOME DEUOflSTRATIOH . Phone 24202 I I I Ccntleraen: OR MAIL THIS COUPON Please arrange a home demonstration iot me I on I NAMS .... I ADDRESS crnr ..... i STATE 5w 'r-friir n 1 1 Tt TT 10) 198 Patton Avenue Phone 24202 Asheville, N. C.
The Waynesville Mountaineer (Waynesville, N.C.)
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June 18, 1950, edition 1
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