View Full Version : History
HaddenLo
09-28-2006, 23:23
I am a history education major and have to give a 20 min. presentation on the history of the AT. Can anyone help me on where to start. I know almost all of the basic info of the AT but i need to fill about 15 min. of time so what other info would be important to the HISTORY of the AT
Try the U.S. Park Service in Gatlinburg, Tennessee. They'd be happy to help. Read --A Walk In the Woods by Bill Bryson. Its full of history and facts. Also take a look @ Exploring the Appalachian Trail book series theres maybe 5 books and its full of information upon the history of the AT subdivided into small hikes. Some of our Civil War battles here in Tenn and N.C. took place right along the AT, such as the Battle of Shelton Hollow at Devils Fork Gap- Tenn...
If I can help let me know...
NATE
Bloodroot
09-28-2006, 23:51
I recommend contacting the ATC for info. or go the website. Look at how the trail was established and progress into topics like the pioneers of the trail and land aquisition. Concluding into how the trail has developed.
Bloodroot
09-28-2006, 23:52
"Certain books" want give a true depiction of what your trying to accomplish
Ramble~On
09-29-2006, 02:48
Benton MacKaye. A quick search on him will give you some info and search on the AT should give you enough hits to give you all the History info you'd need.
Open this PDF and you may have most everything you need:
http://www.appalachiantrail.org/atf/cf/%7BD25B4747-42A3-4302-8D48-EF35C0B0D9F1%7D/TrailYears.pdf
You will also want tolook around www.appalachiantrail.org for other stuff.
Rick B
hikerjohnd
09-29-2006, 06:59
Be sure to include the CCC's contribution to trail construction - too many resources lay claim to the AT's construction being an all-volunteer acheivement when in fact it was not. I am currently researching old CCC records to determine what portions of the trail they actually constructed.
And before I get flamed by the die hard trail fans - I am not discounting the volunteer efforts of everyone since the initial construction - but the CCC boys deserve credit for what they built.
TJ aka Teej
09-29-2006, 07:27
An important thing to know is MacKaye proposed it, but Myron Avery built it!
The Old Fhart
09-29-2006, 07:36
Hikerjohnd-"Be sure to include the CCC's contribution to trail construction..."Hikerjohnd is correct. Anyone who has gone thru the Smokies and really looked at the massive amount of rock work and trail construction the CCC did there, mostly with hand tools, had to be really impressed. It is easy to miss a lot of what they did because a lot of their work is now covered by moss or other vegetation. The dedicated volunteer trail crews of today are continuing this tradition of constructing and maintaining the A.T. for all of us to enjoy.
Haddenlo, whats the deadline for your presentation? I'm going to Harriman State Park this weekend for some hiking. Lots of history there. Many CCC projects as well. HSP is a wonderful place I like to call it my ''homecourt''. hikerjohn I like your project sounds like something I'd be interesred in. Please post your results.
I think that Larry Luxenberg's book, Walking the Appalachian Trail, is a nice blend of history and thru-hiking. Just one of many books to consider for learning about the AT.
HaddenLo
09-29-2006, 10:58
THanks guys for the help so far. I have to give the presentation on the 20 of Ocotber. So far i have been looking into MacKaye's New Exploration and the book The Appalachian National scenic trail. New Exploration is not exactly what i want and the other book is to dry i think. My goal in presenting this is to inspire people to love the AT from a historical view first and then i am going to end the presentations with stories that i have from trail. And i do plan on refering to A Walk in the Woods i just havent gotten it yet. Thanks to all
Model"T's" new book talks about the history of the area the trail goes through not just about the trail. maybe take a look at it also.
Hikerhead
10-01-2006, 10:08
Check out the PATC website. They have an interesting history chapter.
Tha Wookie
10-01-2006, 11:07
An important thing to know is MacKaye proposed it, but Myron Avery built it!
You might also note with this that it is not "built" yet, as according to MacKaye's proposal. The AT was proposed as a four-part plan, where only 25% of those planned points have been achieved.
Here's my reference (http://www.appalachiantrail.org/atf/cf/%7BD25B4747-42A3-4302-8D48-EF35C0B0D9F1%7D/MacKaye.pdf). See the four bullet points.
So the statement above, though accepted cliche, is not entirely accurate. Myron Avery certainly was a critical force that made what we know today as the Appalachian Trail possible, but he only built a portion of Mackaye's vision.
Also, as we see above, one man did not build the trail (yet one man did envision it).
mweinstone
10-01-2006, 18:21
talk about minnisota smith.
my work here is done.
Open this PDF and you may have most everything you need:
http://www.appalachiantrail.org/atf/cf/%7BD25B4747-42A3-4302-8D48-EF35C0B0D9F1%7D/TrailYears.pdf
You will also want tolook around www.appalachiantrail.org for other stuff.
Rick B
Rick's reference is the best account of AT history I've seen. It was first published in 2000 in the ATC magazine and is available in "book" form from the conference -- or used to be. The piece ran around 60 pages or so, if my memory serves me.
Follow this link (http://www.berkshistory.org/articles/trail.html) to a short and informative history of Blue Mountain Eagle Climbing Club, which built the A.T. from the Susquehanna River to the Lehigh River between 1926 and 1931. The major force behind this effort was BMECC's own Myron Avery, Harry F. Rentschler, a medical doctor from Reading, PA.
BMECC celebrates its 90th year in 2006. Yesterday club members climbed to Eagle's Nest, a blue-blaze from the A.T. on Pennsylvania State Game Lands #110, which inspired the club's founders to form the club in 1916.
I don't think I am the only person who doesn't exactly have a high opinion of that book. You might serve your audience better by recommending that they visit ATC's website and read "Trail Years" instead.
Perhaps you could provide a handout that would include those links and links to Virginia A.T. maintaining clubs. I don't think ATC and any of the hiking clubs would mind a bit of publicity, especially if you were to send a few new members their way.
It's important to realize and inform your audience that the A.T. would not likely exist today were it not for The National Trails System Act (http://www.nps.gov/nts/legislation.html) and, in particular, the amendment that provided funding to acquire a protected corridor.
Legislation to protect the A.T. was first proposed by one of BMECC's founding fathers, Daniel K. "Danny" Hoch of Reading, Pennsylvania. Dan's Pulpit, north of Eckville commemorates this man's name and his contributions to BMECC and the A.T.
HaddenLo
10-03-2006, 14:39
Thanks for all the references, the article Trail Years has been a tremendous help. The ATC has been a huge help too; they sent me some lit. to give out to the class. I love studying for this presentation, it makes me want to not be at a dest but out on the Trail. Thanks agian
HaddenLo
10-03-2006, 14:41
Thanks guys; Trail years has been a huge help, i cant wait to give my presentation and hopefully get people excited about the AT
I hope your preparation is well under way. I sometimes because I waited until the last possible moment to get started failed to do the best work I might have.
Best wishes and let us know if there is anything more we can do to help you.
upstream
10-13-2006, 23:01
In Georgia, the Appalachian Trail was originally scouted by outdoorsman Roy Ozmer, and blazed by assistant state forester Eddie Stone.
ATC and Smoky Mountains Hiking Club had planned the trail to follow the Smokies and end in Cohutta, but Roy and Eddie fought to put it on the Blue Ridge through Georgia. Horace Kephart then figured out how to connect it back to the Smokies through North Carolina and Tennessee.
Then, Eddie got one of his more charismatic employees to start the GATC to promote and help maintain the trail.
The trail was improved some by the CCC, and the CCC built some shelters in Georgia, but at somewhat conflict with USFS and GATC, who have always cared for the trail.
The trail was neglected during WWII and nearly disappeared.
After that, the GATC and the USFS rebuilt the trail and have continuously improved it ever since.
For years it was not protected from encroachment and the southern end was trashed by vandals and businessmen, and the terminus was moved north to Springer.
GATC has also worked to improve protections for the remainder since that time.
Hey, upstream, let me be the first to say:welcome to WhiteBlaze. And thank you for the crash course on the history of the AT in Georgia. It's cool how this thread shows how many different people here at WhiteBlaze have expertise in a particular area, and how pooling all that knowledge can be enriching to all of us.
I have to give the presentation on the 20th of October.
Did you give your presentation today and, if so, would you share with us what you chose to cover, how you feel you did and whether it seemed to be well received by your audience?
I'd like to hear more about it and I am sure others would too.