County of center: Swain County
Location of center: Newfound Gap Rd (US-441), 2 miles N> of Cherokee
Phone: 828-497-1904
"The Oconaluftee Visitor Center for the Great Smoky Mountains National Park is a state-of-the-art center constructed by the Great Smoky Mountains Association (GSMA) and donated to the Park. See orientation and cultural themed exhibits and informational media. Pick up brochures and shop in the well-stocked gift shop. Park rangers will answer questions and give you a free map! The center is open daily, 8 AM until 6 PM. The fully-accessible restroom building and orientation kiosk are open 24 hours a day." ~ Romantic Asheville.com
For hundreds of years, Cherokee Native Americans lived and farmed in the Smoky Mountains in permanent settlements. Under the Indian Removal Act of 1830, the U.S. government forced the Cherokees to move to the Oklahoma Territory in what became known as the Trail of the Tears. Non-Indian settlers trickled in over the years as railroads and commercial logging transformed the area.
"Today, you can glimpse into the settlers' lives in the past. Behind the visitors center, stroll along the peaceful Oconaluftee River to a historic farm complete with barns, a chicken coop, tool shed, homestead and gardens" ~ My Smoky
"The Oconaluftee, considered “sacred waters” by the Cherokee, and known as the “Luftee, ” is a beautiful, freestone river that drops 2,000 feet over 10 miles. It flows through downtown Cherokee and Qualla Boundary, the homeland of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, before joining the Little Tennessee on the way to Lake Fontana. Wading, tubing, fishing and canoeing are all popular here. However, the Luftee is most famous for its abundant healthy Rainbow, Brook and Brown Trout. In fact it holds the North Carolina Record Brown Trout weighing in at 15.9 pounds.
This pristine river is one of the best Smoky Mountain Blueways for catching North Carolina mountain trout. The river is heavily stocked, 300,000 per year, by the Cherokee Fisheries & Wildlife Management. The easily accessible streams on the reservation are stocked twice weekly. A special fishing permit is required from the Cherokee Reservation. Check for fishing regulations specific to this river at www.fishcherokee.com and www.ncwildlife.org." ~ Smoky Mountain Host
Davis house
"The Mountain Farm Museum is part of an effort to preserve some of the cultural heritage of the Smokies. These buildings, most dating from about 1900, were moved from their original locations throughout the Smokies to this site to create an open-air museum. These structures offer a glimpse into the past and, hopefully, a greater appreciation of the rural heritage of this country.
"When John E. Davis began building this house about 1899, he had been farming in the Indian Creek are of the Smokies for about ten years. He spent almost two years building this new home for his wife Sarah Lucretia (Creacy) Parris Davis and their young family. The last three of their seven children were born in this house.
"Although sawmill-produced lumber was readily available ande many new houses were of frame construction, Davis chose to build a log house. Tradition and personal preference may have played a role in his decision, but he probably also considered cost and his own woodworking skills.
"Davis constructed the house with "matched" chestnut logs. A log was hewed flat on tow sides, then split in half along its length to produce two building logs. These were used in "matching" positions on opposite walls. The ends of the logs were joined with half-dovetail notches.
"The half-dovetail joint took more time to prepare than some other notches, but it "locked" the logs together and the downward sloping surfaces of the notch shed rainwater away from the structure. Unlike many log houses, Davis chose to seal the chink, or crack, between the logs with hand-split boards instead of clay. More than 50 years later, Davis recalled, "when it was finished I had myself a might fine palace."
"The house may seem small by today's standards, but farm families spent a great deal of time outside. Separate structures like springhouses, corn cribs, and meathouses provided space for food storage. During warm weather, the front porch became an extra room for work and socializing." ~ Text by Tom Robbins, for Great Smoky Mountain Association & Nationals Park Service.