Great Smoky Mountains Post 2

The Smokies Cades Cove area  is located in the Northwest section of the park.  We stopped at Anthony Creek Trail Picnic area to start the day.  The trail parallels the creek and has excellent views of the water.  The cove area has a driving tour.  Cades Cove was a major farming community in the 1830's.   

Starting the hike we discovered a couple different butterflies. This beautiful one was blue shades.  



Yellow and Black!



Anthony Creek flowing through the rocks with moss covered rocks.



Very difficult to capture the true beauty of nature



This scene looking upstream

This haze over the mountains is how the Smokies got their name.

Wild Turkey

John Oliver cabin - 1820 era is the oldest log home in the cove. This cabin remained in the family until the park was established 100 years after it was built. 

This is a notched corner which held the logs together, they did not have nails!  Of course this was completed by hand with an ax.  There was no sawmills either so the logs were split and trimmed with an ax.  Space between the logs were filled with mud.



All you carpenters, door henges and latches were made from wood.



Looking down the valley from the road



Methodist Church, built for $115 in 115 days!



Missionary Baptist Chrurch - group of Baptist were expelled from the other Baptist church because they favored missionary work, 1839. 



Obiously missionary work still in process.  Bird on the paulpit trying to encouage visitors to join the church!



Another view with the mountains as the backdrop.  Also proves we are still riding together!

Deer feeding in the meadow.

Typical era barn.

Water powered Grist Mill.

Dan Lawson home (1856) - You can see the orginal home was hewn logs but additions were built with sawed lumber because the sawmills became available.