CADES COVE, SMOKY MNTS NATIONAL PARK.

Continuing our trip to USA.

Monday 17/11/14

Cades Cove is a fertile valley in the Smoky Mts National Park. It used to be inhabited with subsistence farmers from the early 1800's to the early 1900's. It was a close community until the Civil War. The community continued for a while but In the early 20th century owners started selling their land to the government, who were turning the area into a National Park. Some people didn't want to sell. They were allowed to stay until they died but the next generation had to move on. There is an 11 mile long loop road around the valley and there are original cabins, houses, churches, and barns to explore and photograph.

The pretty drive through the National Park to Cades Cove.

 The John Oliver Cabin built c. 1822. The Olivers were the first permanent European settlers.

 This is the  Primitive Baptist Church. The baptist religion split in 1830's into the Primitive Baptist Church and the Missionary Baptist Church. There was also a Methodist Church.

 Cades Cove is registered on the National Register of historic places.  This is Becky Cable House built in 1879. Owned by the spinster daughter of John Cable. She refused to get married after her father broke off her childhood romance.

 The John Cable Grist Mill.

 John Cable had to build diversions from Mill Creek and Forge Creek to get enough water for the overshot wheel.

 Tipton Cabin

 Double cantilever barn at Tipton Place. You can see it was a cold wet day but we still enjoyed this fascinating place.

That night we drove into town for our last dinner in Gatlinburg. Sick of huge meals we opted for soup and sandwiches this night. 

Bill stayed home so we got him a burger to go.(take away in Oz). We ate here often and got to know the server well. She looked after us nicely. She wants to come to Australia one day so Kathy and Rob offered her a job in their son's cafe and we offered her a bed.