Pre '58 Southern Terminus

[hacksaw]

As many know, I live in the shadow of Mount Oglethorpe, the original southern terminus of the AT in the very development whose inception played a major part in the shortening of the southern end to its present location on Springer Mtn.

While I have documents that show the majority of the original footpath there were areas that I had decided that there just wasn't any surviving data for.
Well, looking over an old gold prospecting map made for tourist consumption and outlet through several stores in the area I've found that they used a pre 1954 roadmap as their base map. It shows the path of the old trail right up to Oglethorpe Mtn! This was such a happy and unexpected discovery that I thought I'd share it with y'all.

Next I am going to attempt to reconstruct (Not actually construct on the ground, just on paper) the considerable section of trail that passes through Big Canoe. It seems to go so close to my house that were it still the trail I would be considered a trailside provider should I be providing a service.

Amazing what is to be found in old documents!

Hacksaw

Anyone with any information regarding that lost 30 odd miles they are willing to share?

[Brushy Sage]

If the ATC headquarters in Harpers Ferry doesn't have a map of this route, they might be interested in yours for the museum.

[The Old Fhart]

I can give you the guidebook description of the approach trail and the A.T. from Oglethorpe to Springer from my 1942 A.T. guidebook if that would help.

[The Old Fhart]

Just checked and I do have more "current" info in the 1950 (third) edition of the guidebook.

[TakeABreak]

Hacksaw, While I was living In Cullowhee(Western Carolina Univerity 1999 - 2001), NC. near franklin, NC. I would to the WCU's library and get USGS maps, and make copies of them for finding isolated trails to hike, they had a lot of current and old USGS maps(very detailed), with lots on info. on them trails and etc, for not only NC but for all over.

Where I am going with this, is that may look them up on the internet and email the library ask them if the any old USGS maps for your area or go to or email the nearest University in your area and see what they have.

If you decide to visit WCU let me know, I know a few short cuts that save you a little bit of road time. But I would contact them first, unless you have reason to go there, it would a little drive for you.

[hacksaw]

Old Fhart,

Hey, I would LOVE :jump to see either of those guidebook sections! Please, If you had thought of sending the originals, please don't! Those are far too valuable to entrust to the U. S. Snail! (No offence, post persons, it aint't the people, it's the system). But if you could send along copies let me know, I will be very grateful and I would like to cover your copy and shipping costs.

Since moving to Big Canoe and Looking up (or hiking up) Mt. Oglethorpe almost every day we're on the same side of the clouds, I have become very interested in it's history, like the fact that until old Sam Tate got the Georgia Legislature to change the name honoring the discoverer and first colonial governor of Georgia, James Oglethorpe, it was known as Grassy Bald, a true Georgia Bald (Hey, North Carolina ain't the only one with them).

T.A.B.

I'm onto the university libraries!
North Georgia State College in Dahlonega, Truett-McConnell College in Young Harris, University of Georgia in Athens and Bernau University as well as the Junior College in Gainesville have all been big helps but hadn't really widened my search to our neighbors to the north. Thanks for the heads up, I'll be in touch, prolly after the holidays.

Thanks again to all for your interest in this little project, I'll share the results in story and map when I get done. I will begin interviewing some current and past property owners on the old footpath as time permits, I got a pretty full plate right now as SGT Rock might attest.

Hacksaw

[Tramper Al]

Hey,

This is an outstanding source of historic USGS maps of the northeast from the Univeristy of New Hampshire:
http://docs.unh.edu/nhtopos/nhtopos.htm

This one from Maptech also has some 'southern' states:
http://historical.maptech.com/

[hacksaw]

Thanks, Al, but having previously navagated that site, I found that the typical "red headed stepchild" attitude seems to be in place there. Nothing south of ole Virginny.

Hacksaw

[SavageLlama]

Earl Shaffer's book "Walking With Spring" (an account of his first thru-hike of the AT in 1948) has some descriptions of this part of the trail. I think it includes a small overview map of the AT that starts on Oglethorpe.

[hacksaw]

Thanks to The Old Phart's generous forwarding of his (copied) 1942 and 1950 guidebook pages, plus my sister's sharing of her extensive research of this area for her book "Wolfscratch Wilderness" which helped zero me in on the various approach routes, my understanding of the pre '58 trail routes and relos after WW II and the renumbering of the roads in this area has increased tenfold!

As I am able, and as time and weather permits I will be physically tracing as much of these routes and trail as is possible while keeping my butt out of jail for trespassing! This has been a really interesting project so far, and as I actually visit the localities and plug them in my map the dark areas get much lighter!

I realise that I'm chasing history, but that's exactly what my intentinon was when I started this project. I also realise that the 23 mile section that was chopped from the trail renders it NOT the AT, but it WAS and that's the historic interest I have in it.

Depending on the amount of stuff I end up with and what the final write ends up being, I'll either put it out as an article, a chapter in a larger work, or put it on the shelf as something fun to be dragged out at some point in the future.

Many thanks to those answering my request and the very good suggestions I received from my original post. You guys (Whiteblaze.net members) will get a shot to review the final results regardless of what I end up doing with it. I will also be posting photos in the gallery as they are available.

Thanks again for your support.

Hacksaw

[Mags]

Depending on the amount of stuff I end up with and what the final write ends up being, I'll either put it out as an article, a chapter in a larger work, or put it on the shelf as something fun to be dragged out at some point in the future.
Hacksaw


I'm sure ATN would love to publish this article. I find all this very fascinating. Please share the work when you are done!

[RockyTrail]

[QUOTE=hacksaw].... the considerable section of trail that passes through Big Canoe. It seems to go so close to my house that were it still the trail I would be considered a trailside provider should I be providing a service.

That's very interesting Hacksaw, I've been to Big Canoe several times, even flown over it. I believe the Mt Ogelthorpe summit is owned by a utility (phone co?) and they lease it to the FAA and others as a radio communications outpost. A friend of mine had some ham radio gear up there a few years back.

Just think, if you could roll time backwards in time-lapse fashion you might even see ol' Earl Shaffer walk right by your door...best wishes on your research.

[Kerosene]

I'd be very interested in reading what you end up with also. I've always been fascinated with maps and the way nature and civilization change things over time.

[hacksaw]

Kerosene,

You would be amazed at the changes to the area in the last half century! For instance the Amicalola Falls State Park was just being constructed in 1941 and the only roads there were gravel and/or dirt noted as being impassable in winter or bad(wet)weather, Highway 52 was Highway 43 but didn't even follow the same path from the falls to Ellijay as it does now, and 136 and 183 and 108 were nowhere near the locations they are today, and GA 52 didn't even exist in Dawson and Pickens Counties. Also, in '42 you could drive from Nimblewill Church to Old Bucktown, then a thriving settlement, through Nimblewill Gap on an improved fire road! In 1942 there was an (emergencies only) shelter upstream of Amicalola Falls but by 1950 the guidebook lists it as "the destroyed Amicalola Falls Shelter". And, the road that presently goes around from the top of the falls to the lodge was a dirt track in '42 and circled the LAKE which was built between '42 and '50 and was destroyed as part of the unsafe dam elimination program by the state in the 1980s. I remember the lake from trips there with my elementary school classes during the mid to late '50s and into the sixties and seventies as I began hiking in the area, but later on it was reduced in size and eventually drained and removed for safety reasons.

Rocky Trail

The 100 acres on the summit of Mt. Oglethorpe is owned by a dear friend of mine who leases to the FAA and Cingular, but I have permission to hike there any time I like, I can even camp overnight as long as I don't build a fire. Not an unreasonable restriction given the circumstances, but I would not recommend anyone without permission doing this as it is posted and a Homeland Security restricted area.

I have found that the approaches to Mt Oglethorpe have been the most challenging part of this little project to sort out as most of the locations are obliterated by modern development and the vast majority of the road tracks named in the guides and other sources are either cut over with new tracks or so overgrown as to be unrecognizeable. A gentleman who is descended of the Mr. Hendricks mentioned as a caretaker of some property in the '42 guidebook has offered to take my sister and I around to as many of the locations mentioned as are currently accesable after the holidays. I am really looking forward to that!

In my walks around the old trail sections that I can access, I often think of Earl, and as a Vietnam vet who spent many years on trails trying to sort out my own feelings, I feel a certain kinship with a very wonderful man whom I did in fact get to meet once before he finally found his lasting peace. I hope to be so fortunate.

Mags,

You guys will be kept informed, and as I said earlier, the completed work, in whatever form it ends up, will definately be made available to the 'blaze membership!

[little bear]

did you ever come up with a completed copy of your findings or trail report? If so I would love to know where I could Find it or read about it.

LB

[MoodyBluer]

Kerosene,

You would be amazed at the changes to the area in the last half century! For instance the Amicalola Falls State Park was just being constructed in 1941 and the only roads there were gravel and/or dirt noted as being impassable in winter or bad(wet)weather, Highway 52 was Highway 43 but didn't even follow the same path from the falls to Ellijay as it does now, and 136 and 183 and 108 were nowhere near the locations they are today, and GA 52 didn't even exist in Dawson and Pickens Counties. Also, in '42 you could drive from Nimblewill Church to Old Bucktown, then a thriving settlement, through Nimblewill Gap on an improved fire road! In 1942 there was an (emergencies only) shelter upstream of Amicalola Falls but by 1950 the guidebook lists it as "the destroyed Amicalola Falls Shelter". And, the road that presently goes around from the top of the falls to the lodge was a dirt track in '42 and circled the LAKE which was built between '42 and '50 and was destroyed as part of the unsafe dam elimination program by the state in the 1980s. I remember the lake from trips there with my elementary school classes during the mid to late '50s and into the sixties and seventies as I began hiking in the area, but later on it was reduced in size and eventually drained and removed for safety reasons.

Rocky Trail

The 100 acres on the summit of Mt. Oglethorpe is owned by a dear friend of mine who leases to the FAA and Cingular, but I have permission to hike there any time I like, I can even camp overnight as long as I don't build a fire. Not an unreasonable restriction given the circumstances, but I would not recommend anyone without permission doing this as it is posted and a Homeland Security restricted area.

I have found that the approaches to Mt Oglethorpe have been the most challenging part of this little project to sort out as most of the locations are obliterated by modern development and the vast majority of the road tracks named in the guides and other sources are either cut over with new tracks or so overgrown as to be unrecognizeable. A gentleman who is descended of the Mr. Hendricks mentioned as a caretaker of some property in the '42 guidebook has offered to take my sister and I around to as many of the locations mentioned as are currently accesable after the holidays. I am really looking forward to that!

In my walks around the old trail sections that I can access, I often think of Earl, and as a Vietnam vet who spent many years on trails trying to sort out my own feelings, I feel a certain kinship with a very wonderful man whom I did in fact get to meet once before he finally found his lasting peace. I hope to be so fortunate.

Mags,

You guys will be kept informed, and as I said earlier, the completed work, in whatever form it ends up, will definately be made available to the 'blaze membership!


Hacksaw,

Any updates to your findings re: the old AT thru Big Canoe?

My father lives on the far side of Petit Lake on Quail Cove Rd. and we would both be very interested in your findings...I didn't know Mt. Oglethorpe was nearby Big Canoe.