Historical Treasure in the Great Smoky Mountains

 

Her husband found the land of promise. He cut logs and stacked them on land he claimed as his. Then he went back across the Appalachian Mountains to get her and the children. They would have a good life in that new territory.

Vintage Cabin--Public Domain.

William Ogle died at home, unable to take his wife Martha to the spot he had decided on. This widow was determined. She took her family, including her brother, and crossed the mountains. When she found the wood cut and stacked earlier by her husband, the family built a cabin. The settlement of White Oak Flats, Tennessee started in that moment.

It did not stay named that, though. The United States Post Office was responsible for changing the name. The government called the place after the store where they sent the mail. Since the store belonged to a man named Gatlin, the town became known as Gatlinburg.

Martha Ogle’s great grandson settled those same mountains. He built a 400 acre farm outside of Gatlinburg in what is now a part of the Great Smoky Mountain National Park. In fact, you can still visit Noah Ogle’s farm if you go to the park. My husband and I did that last month.

For February, it was an amazingly warm day. In the upper sixties, we were able to tromp around the preserved farm site without snow stopping us. The saddle bag cabin is open to visitors. Two large rooms sit on each side of a large rock chimney—hence the name for the building.

What surprised me about the cabin was the wood used in constructing it. Looking around me, none of the tree trunks were especially large. But the wood used to make the house had been virgin timber and very, very wide. I could still see the ax marks where someone hand-hewed the fallen trees to make boards. Handmade oak shingles cover the roof like they did a hundred and fifty years before.

 

Ogle Place, Great Smoky Mountain National Park

I half-expected Noah Ogle himself to step out and greet me. Tradition has it that he welcomed all who visited him at the farm which he named Junglebrook because of the large rhododendron plants that surrounded the area.

For an author of historical fiction, this cabin was a treasure. I observed so much about the time-intensive construction. I hope it flavors my future books.

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"I found the perfect book for a rainy, cold Friday night. Marisa Masterson is a master at her craft, creating wonderful multi-dimensional characters."--Amazon Review