• 1926 - Knowing of Alcoa’s plans to build a dam at the Fontana site, Forney Creek Road District of Swain County floated bond issues totaling $700,000 to finance the construction of N.C. 288 as a replacement road for the Joesph Welch River Turnpike that would be flooded.

• 1934 - Establishment of Great Smoky Mountains National Park leaves approximately 44,000 acres of Swain County - including communities, saw mills, mines and railroads along the north shores of the Little Tennessee and Tuckasegee Rivers - outside park boundaries.

• Late 1930s-1940 - It becomes evident the Fontana Dam will flood much of N.C. 288.

• 1940 - Swain County assumes the $700,000 debt from Forney Creek Road District.

• 1943 - Tennessee Valley Authority, state of North Carolina, Swain County and the United States Department of Interior signed a legal contract stating in part:

• TVA would obtain the 44,000 between the park boundary and the north shore of newly created reservoir through purchase, eminent domain or other means.

• TVA would immediately transfer these lands to Park Service for inclusion into GSMNP.

• Park Service would build a park road from a point near Bryson City to a point near Fontana Dam.

• State would build a road to connect park road with U.S. 19. State would also take over maintenance of TVA access road from Deals Gap to Fontana Dam.

• 1944 - All parties had fulfilled goals except for road construction.

• Late 1940s-early 1950s - Gov. Luther Hodges and others lobbied for the road construction promised in the 1943 agreement.

• 1953 - Letter writing campaign to Park Service and Congress protesting construction of the North Shore Road was undertaken by Edgar L. McDaniel Jr.

• 1959 - State fulfills its road obligation, constructing 2.67 miles of highway from Bryson City to park boundary.

• 1963 to 1971 - Park Service constructs six miles of North Shore Road (Lakeshore Drive) terminating at the end of 1,200 foot tunnel. Road becomes known locally as Road to Nowhere. Construction stopped on road when anakeesta rock was encountered. Anakeesta contains pyrites, which, when exposed to air, create sulfuric acid runoff.

• 1965 - Amendment proposed to build 34.7 mile trans-mountain road from Bryson City to Townsend, Tenn., as alternative to North Shore Road.

• 1967 - Secretary of Interior refuses amendment.

• 1968 - Gov. Dan Moore proposed extension of Blue Ridge Parkway to Deep Creek as alternative. No action was taken.

• 1971 - Park Service proposed solutions including an “around the park road,” visitor transit, Foothills Parkway extension and others.

• 1974 - Park superintendent Vince Ellis proposed 76 percent of GSMNP be designated as wilderness. Proposal opposed by groups unless 1943 agreement solved.

• 1975 - Meeting with Swain County, N.C. Department of Natural Resources, NPS, TVA and environmental groups to discuss settlement. First mention of cash settlement. No action.

• Mid 1970s - North Shore Cemetery Association, later named North Shore Historical Association, created to lobby for completion of promised road.

• 1980 - Interior Secretary Cecil Andrus agrees to cash settlement amount of $9.5 million in lieu of road. Settlement based on a formula adjusted for inflation to reimburse Swain County for indebtedness incurred during construction of N.C. 288.

• 1980 - HR 8419 introduced by Congressman Lamar Gudger provided $9.5 million and cancellation of $3.2 million school construction loan to Swain County. Congress adjourned prior to passage of bill.

• 1989 - Neil Murphy, chairman of Great Smoky Mountain Park Commission writes Senator Sanford supporting a cash settlement and opposing North Shore Road but favoring a formalized cemetery access agreement.

• 1991 - Swain commissioners request aid from Taylor and senators Helms and Sanford to resolve issues from 1943 agreement.

• 1991 - Sanford introduced bill providing $16 million cash settlement for Swain County as full settlement of all claims from 1943 agreement. No action.

• 2000 - Helms and Taylor get approval for $16 million in the U.S. Department of Transportation FY 2001 Appropriations Bill for construction of North Shore Road.

• 2001 - Swain County group, Citizens for the Economic Future of Swain County, form to seek compromise solution for 1943 agreement.

• Oct. 15, 2001 - GSMNP superintendent Mike Tollefson meets with Park Service Director Fran Mainella. North Shore Road meeting scheduled. Will include Taylor, Helms and Mainella. North Shore Road discussion expected.

• Oct. 29, 2001 - Citizens for the Economic Future of Swain County plan to address Swain County commissioners at regularly scheduled work session.

Much of data came from Fontana, a pocket history of Appalachia, by Lance Holland.

 

Back to Top

The Smoky Mountain News