house of prayer

 

The function of prayer is not to influence God, but rather to change the nature of the one who prays.
--Søren Kierkegaard (1813-1855) Danish philosopher, theologian and author.

Above: 'Primitive Baptist Church' (built 1887) located in Cades Cove within the Great Smoky Mountain National Park.  To the right is a view inside (click to enlarge).

a civilization in the wilderness

A civilization is a heritage of beliefs, customs, and knowledge slowly accumulated in the course of centuries, elements difficult at times to justify by logic, but justifying themselves as paths when they lead somewhere, since they open up for man his inner distance.
--Antoine de Saint-Exupery (1900-1944) French writer.

Above: The Carter Shields Cabin, Great Smoky Mountain National Park.

George Washington "Carter" Shields (1844-1924) was raised in Cades Cove (his family was among the early settlers), but left home to fight in the Civil War. He suffered a crippling wound in the Battle of Shiloh in April 1862 -- soon after the war, he married and moved to Kansas. He returned to Cades Cove in 1906 and bought the above cabin in 1910, living there until 1921. The cabin, the last on the auto tour of Cades Cove, is my favorite. It's just a beautiful setting, so rugged and isolated. More Cades Cove family histories, here. Note: The popular 11-mile loop road that takes visitors around the cove is closed for repaving through April 23. Many other popular destinations, including Clingman's Dome, are also being impacted by construction - Check the website before you go.

character

We should come home from adventures, and perils, and discoveries every day with new experience and character.
--Henry David Thoreau (1817-1862) American Essayist, Poet and Philosopher

Grist mill built by John P. Cable in 1870, Cades Cove.

In case you're interested...Click here for a recent Elizabethton Star article about my photography. (Note! This is a very large pdf file - 11 MB).

cherish and endure

You have to cherish the world at the same time you struggle to endure it.
--Flannery O’Connor (1925-1964) American author.

With its idyllic setting, its easy to forget that life for the early settlers in beautiful Cades Cove was a daily struggle for existence. John Oliver (1793-1863) and his wife Lucretia (1795–1888), the first permanent white settlers in Cades Cove, built the above cabin in the early 1820s.

Cades Cove

Nestled within the mountains of the Great Smoky Mountain National Park is a valley that was once home to as many as 125 families. Today, with nearly 2 million annual visitors, Cades Cove is one of the most popular destinations within the 75 year old park. An eleven mile, one way loop road takes visitors back to a time when settlers first entered the valley in the 1820s and 30s. The population of the cove grew to a high as 708 (in 1900) -- today there remain over 70 historic structures which can be explored in this tranquil pastoral setting surrounded by wooded mountains. Cades Cove is also well known for its wildlife: bears, deer, coyotes, red fox and wild turkeys (to name a few) are often seen by visitors as they explore the cove.

The peak tourist months for the park are July and October. But if you're planning a visit, note that the Cades Cove Loop Road is being resurfaced and will be closed from March 1st to April 23rd. Also, the popular park destination of Clingman's Dome will be closed until May 29th (both dates are dependent on the weather). For a park map and helpful trip planning information, click here. For a helpful guide to hiking in the Smoky's click here. I'll be posting more photos from Cades Cove this week.