So who are all these people?!!

[Gambit McCrae]

I was making out a list and then the further north I got the more names there were.
What I am speaking of are the names given to shelters all along the trail. We use these shelters, and they have been used for decades and people every day of the year reference them by name; Clyde Smith, Stan Murray, Jim and Molly Denton... and the list goes on and on. Then there are other names, first names only with the label of a geographic location; Derricks knob, Mollies ridge and that list goes on and on as well...

I am guessing that most all of these folks are and or were at least two things due to age of most of these shelters; Major donators of time and/ or money, and as well probably deceased. Any insight as to who these folks are and how the dedications were earned would be appreciated! Could always make for good stories while staying at these places

[WingedMonkey]

Clyde Smith, TEHCC volunteer tthat made most of the carved trail signs in the area.

Stan Murray - long time TEHCC leader, ATC board member and founder of the Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy.

Jim and Molly Denton, long time PATC volunteers, named Honorary Life Membership in PATC 1984

[Gambit McCrae]

Sweet! Any location along the trail of acknowledgment for these kind of folks?

Just found this after posting this post

PATC Volunteer Recognition Page (http://www.patc.net/PublicView/Custom/Volunteer_files/Volunteer_Recognition.aspx)

[peakbagger]

Years ago I heard that MATC has stopped naming shelters after people. The claim (I assume in jest) was that if you wanted to write a check they would consider naming an outhouse :)

[tdoczi]

the real question is who exactly were the telephone pioneers.

[rocketsocks]

Lenard Foote~Environmentalist, Conservationist, Author, and mineral collector, that's how I come to know his work. Had a specimen once in a Len Foote box...that was a $10.00 back when, prolly worth a whole lot more these days, wish I still had it.

[Offshore]

the real question is who exactly were the telephone pioneers.

From Wikipedia: Pioneers, a Volunteer Network, also known as the Telephone Pioneers of America, or simply as the Telephone Pioneers, is a non-profit charitable organization based in Denver, Colorado, U.S.A. It was founded in Boston in 1911 as the Telephone Pioneers of America, with 734 members, including Alexander Graham Bell who received membership card No. 1.As of 2009 it has grown to an organization of about 620,000 members, consisting primarily of actively employed and retired employees in the telecommunications industry, making it one of the world’s largest corporate volunteer organization. Pioneers volunteer more than 10 million hours annually responding to the individual needs of their communities throughout the United States and Canada. It is funded through company sponsors and public charitable donations. In the United States, the organization is registered as a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization.

[tdoczi]

From Wikipedia: Pioneers, a Volunteer Network, also known as the Telephone Pioneers of America, or simply as the Telephone Pioneers, is a non-profit charitable organization based in Denver, Colorado, U.S.A. It was founded in Boston in 1911 as the Telephone Pioneers of America, with 734 members, including Alexander Graham Bell who received membership card No. 1.As of 2009 it has grown to an organization of about 620,000 members, consisting primarily of actively employed and retired employees in the telecommunications industry, making it one of the world’s largest corporate volunteer organization. Pioneers volunteer more than 10 million hours annually responding to the individual needs of their communities throughout the United States and Canada. It is funded through company sponsors and public charitable donations. In the United States, the organization is registered as a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization.


and someone named a shelter in NY near pawling in their honor because.... ?

[Tuckahoe]

and someone named a shelter in NY near pawling in their honor because.... ?

Maybe because they were a big part of getting it built?
http://www.poughkeepsiejournal.com/story/sports/recreational/2014/09/01/hiking-materials-airlifted-pioneers-shelter/14937795/

[elray]

When the court ordered the breakup of the "Baby Bell's" occurred around the late 70's it also fractured the Pioneers as well, once restricted to long tenured employees of the phone company's they lowered the seniority requirements to boost their ranks afterwards, I believe I was invited to join in the early 90's. They were involved in a multitude of community projects and fund raisers of those days, a wonderful bunch of people!

[Another Kevin]

Maybe because they were a big part of getting it built?
http://www.poughkeepsiejournal.com/story/sports/recreational/2014/09/01/hiking-materials-airlifted-pioneers-shelter/14937795/

Morgan Stewart shelter has a similar story about its construction,

http://www.poughkeepsiejournal.com/story/sports/recreational/2014/08/25/hiking-building-shelter-quite-story/14584217/

[McPick]

(From my '06 journal.) Reprinted from WB January 2010

I got back on the trail late, and hiked to the Louise Chatfield Shelter arriving just at dark. A few more minutes and I would have had to put on my headlamp. I sat down at the picnic table outside the shelter and introduced myself to the several people who were also sitting there. Two guys my age who were section hiking and a young couple... Cory, and his fiance, Elizabeth.

Turns out Cory is the son of one of the section hikers. He and Elizabeth had hiked to this shelter that day to surprise his dad on his birthday. WOW, the dad was REALLY surprised! They had a great reunion and it was fun to hear the story about planning the surprise. Seems like everyone knew about it but the dad!

Then the dad proudly told me there was more to the story....

Cory's fiancee, Elizabeth, is Elizabeth Chatfield. As in we were staying at the Chatfield Shelter. The shelter had been dedicated to her grandmother, Louise Chatfield just prior to her death in 1986. (They carried her in on a stretcher for the dedication!)

From Elizabeth's description, Louise Chatfield was quite a powerhouse in those parts, having helped organize the local AT club, battling a large power company that intended to drown a beautiful, nearby valley (that's now a park) and etc, etc. She was also later described as "the mother of the Mountains-To-Sea Trail... A trail that begins at Clingman’s Dome in the Great Smoky Mountains of North Carolina, and winds its way across the state to Jockey’s Ridge State Park in the Outer Banks..."

Surprisingly, Elizabeth had not ever been to the shelter. It was her first trip there, too!

What a wonderful story! I felt incredibly lucky to be at that shelter on that particular night. Now I wonder about the history of others who have AT shelters named in their honor.

[Hangfire]

I'd have to say the "No Business Shelter" stood out in my mind as an odd one. That and it's only 5 feet deep making it impossible to fit long people unless you sleep diagonally.

[Offshore]

and someone named a shelter in NY near pawling in their honor because.... ?

My answer was to the original question of who the telephone pioneers are. Now to your question - It's probably because they do a lot of volunteer work in the area of environmental stewardship. It may be a stretch, but some of it may have been in the area where the shelter is located. Sort of like others that have had shelters named for them...

[shelterbuilder]

If the other trail maintaining clubs are the same as BMECC, then the naming of individual shelters is left to the discretion of the club. In "days of old", BMECC had a few shelters named for people, but we've gotten away from that practice. The Rausch Gap Shelter is named for the place where it was built. The William Penn Shelter was named to recognize the connection to the William Penn Foundation (which donated the money for the materials). The Eagle's Nest Shelter is "close" to the historic Eagles Nest location to which BMECC's founding members used to hike to hold initiations. Windsor Furnace Shelter was built near the site of an old iron furnace, and the Bake Oven Knob Shelter was named for the nearby high-point of the same name. (We DO have stone monuments erected honoring some of our founders, but THAT'S a different thread....)

[LittleRock]

This is good stuff! What about the Rufus Morgan shelter?

[Gambit McCrae]

This is good stuff! What about the Rufus Morgan shelter?

A. Rufus Morgan, Jr., 90, of Franklin, passed away peacefully Saturday, January 13, 2007. Born in Rutherfordton, NC, he lived most of his life in Macon County. He was the son of the late Rev. A. Rufus Morgan and Madeline Mahala Prentis Morgan. Rufus was a U.S. Navy and Army veteran and was a member of the VFW Post 7339. Rufus was a member of the Sigma Alpha Epsilon Fraternity, Omicron Delta Kappa Fraternity and the Beta Pi Theta National French Fraternity at the University of South Carolina. Rufus graduated from the University of South Carolina in 1937 with a BA in Math, he went as a co-op to Georgia Tech, from which he graduated on June 3, 1940 with a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering. In 1941 he completed the course in Naval Architecture from The Citadel Military College of South Carolina Dept. of Engineering (Engineering Defense Training Program). He enlisted in the Army and served as a sergeant in the CBI, building rebuilding air fields for the 14th Air Force. In 1946 he was hired as a hydraulic engineer by the Commonwealth & Southern Corp. (NY), he became a depreciation engineer in 1949 and was named manager of the Depreciation Accounting Services in 1971. Rufus was a 25 year member of the Edison Electric Institute Depreciation Accounting Committee serving as chairman from 1966-1967 and coordinator of the Group I Activities Accounting Division from 1974-1975. In 1972 he received a plaque from the Izaak Walton League of America for outstanding service to conservation. From 1976-1977, Rufus was named in the Biographical Record in Who's Who in the South and Southwest (Fifteenth Edition). He was secretary/treasurer for the Master Gardner's Association in Fulton Co. in 1981.
He is survived by his wife of 57 years, Irene Elizabeth Mitchell Morgan; son, Albert Rufus Morgan III of the Cartoogechaye Community; daughter, Anna Chipman Morgan Simmons and husband Dr. William Crispin Simmons of Edmonds, Washington; one sister, Frances Morgan McLean and husband Donald of Asheville, NC; two grandchildren, Jessica Brie and William Crispin Simmons, Jr. both of Seattle, Washington; and several nieces and nephews.

[mattjv89]

I can speak to a few in VT. I remember reading that Minerva Hinchey was a long time officer in the Green Mountain Club, can't remember what position. Governor Clement was (spoiler alert!) an early governor in VT. Kid Gore is an intriguing name, I'd love to know the story there.


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[WingedMonkey]

Kid Gore is an intriguing name, I'd love to know the story there.

Harold Martin "Kid" Gore (January 1, 1891 – June 4, 1969) was the head coach of the University of Massachusetts Amherst, football team from 1919 to 1927 (then the Massachusetts Agricultural College). He compiled a 33–32–5 overall record. Gore also served as head coach for the men's basketball team, and baseball team.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harold_Gore

He was very active in Boy Scouts on the local, regional and national level. He was awarded both the Silver Beaver and the Silver Antelope.

He and his wife founded the summer camp, Camp Najerog on Lake Raponda in Wilmington in 1924.

The alumni of Camp Najerog and the Green Mountain Club built the shelter in 1971.

[rocketsocks]

Lenard Foote~Environmentalist, Conservationist, Author, and mineral collector, that's how I come to know his work. Had a specimen once in a Len Foote box...that was a $10.00 back when, prolly worth a whole lot more these days, wish I still had it.After looking into this a bit it seems the Foote I'm remembering was not Lenard, but an A.E. Foote...anyone know who Lenard Foote was?