In the years before the Great Smoky Mountains National Park was established and became a popular tourist destination, a lot of people built their lives here and called it home. Their legacy remains throughout the park in meaningful ways. Read on to learn more! Here is a list of 4 people who lived in the Great Smoky Mountains:
1. The Cherokee Tribe
The Cherokee people were the first to live in the Smokies. They built villages along river bottoms where the land was most fertile. Along with growing crops for food, the people also hunted the wildlife. Each family lived in huts and tents. They had different kinds of homes depending on the season. The whole community gathered together for rituals and ceremonies, such as dancing, storytelling, and sacred fires. Read more about the incredible Cherokee tribe history!
They gave the Smokies a cool nickname, “Shaconage” which means “place of blue smoke.” Additionally, the highest place in the Smokies has a Cherokee name. Kuwohi (formerly Clingmans Dome) translates to “mulberry place.” The peak sits at 6,643 feet. Go into the observation tower to see views for up to 100 miles on a clear day! Other places that have Cherokee names include Abrams Falls in Cades Cove. A Cherokee village chief named Osukah (who later adopted the name Abraham) lived nearby.
2. The Oliver Family
John Oliver and his wife arrived in the Cades Cove area around 1818. He was a War of 1812 veteran and moved to the area with his wife after the war ended. The couple helped establish the Primitive Baptist Church. The congregation began meeting in a small log cabin and later moved into the church that is still standing today along Cades Cove Loop Road. In fact, the Oliver family is buried in the Primitive Baptist Church’s cemetery!
In addition to the church, visitors can see the John Oliver Cabin along the loop as well. He built the cabin but never actually lived there. It is the oldest human structure in GSMNP! His son, Elijah, grew up and built a cabin nearby. His cabin also still stands on the Wet Bottom Trail.
3. The Cable Family
Like the Oliver family, the Cable family was another important group in Cades Cove. Peter Cable settled in Cades Cove around 1820 at the same time as the Olivers. He was influential to the community because he fixed flooding issues caused by the overflowing of swamps.
Peter Cable’s descendant, John Cable, lived in the area around the 1860s. He built the now-iconic Cades Cove historical grist mill, which efficiently turned wheat and corn into flour. His daughter, Rebecca (AKA: Becky), lived in the area until she died. Today, visitors can see her house and her father’s mill near the Cades Cove Visitor Center.
4. The Walker Sisters
The seven Walker sisters were born and raised in the beautiful Smokies. Their father, John, built a home on the land he acquired after the Civil War. Their father died, and the women took over the home. While only one of the sisters got married, the other six stayed in the house until they died. The house was preserved in the 1970s. Visitors can see the house, springhouse, and corn crib on the Metcalf Bottoms Trail. This is an easy trail with a picnic area.
More Great Smoky Mountains National Park History
Now you know of some people who lived in the Great Smoky Mountains. Curious about others who lived in the area or influenced the establishment of the national park? Read about people who helped shape Smoky Mountain history!
