Primary Source Set

North Carolina’s Blue Ridge Parkway

Spanning 469 miles between Virginia and North Carolina, the Blue Ridge Parkway has long been a favorite destination of tourists. While the Parkway is loved by many today, its history is marked by a series of disputes and controversies over route planning, eminent domain, and other land issues. This primary source set uses photographs, newspaper articles, and a map to explain the conflicts and agreements leading to the creation of the Blue Ridge Parkway, and to demonstrate the effects of the Parkway on western North Carolina.

Time Period

1933-1962

Grade Level

Undergraduate

Transcript

Committee Proposes “Loop” Into This County With Parkway Thru Soco Gap — Three Hundred Tar Heels In Delegation At Washington. Tenn. Has Advantage Over N.C. — (By W.C. Russ) Inspired by a delegation of over 300 Tar Heels, the six speakers from North Carolina made earnest and sincere pleas to Secretary Harrold L. Ickes, in Washington Tuesday afternoon for the approval of the Scenic Parkway from Blowing Rock to The Great Smoky Mountains National Park over the route suggested by the North Carolina State Highway commission, which is by Craggie Pisgah and Balsam Mountains. During the three hours of debating, Tennessee’s six speakers sought to tear down North Carolina’s claims, basing their arguments on the report of the special advisory committee which Secretary Ickes appointed last winter to go over the proposed routes as suggested by the two states. The advisory committee recommended that the Parkway be built from Blowing Rock cross to the Unaka Mountains and through Tennessee to The Great Smokies, continuing to Gatlinburg on the Tennessee side and to Cherokee on the North Carolina side. The Tennessee speakers also made a strong argument on the fact that North Carolina has already been given one-half of the Parkway that is south of the Virginia line. “Even if we are given all the remainder of the route from Blowing Rock to Gatlinburg there would be 20 more miles in North Carolina than in Tennessee,” one of their principal speakers stated. The Tennessee speakers made a scoring point when they urged that the Parkway be given them in order that two entrances into the park would be possible. The Parkway would divide at Hartford Tenn., with one spur going on to Gatlinburg, and the other turning south into North Carolina near Waterville, and then following Pigeon River to the mouth of Jonathan’s Creek to Soco Gap and into the park making a complete “loop.” When the proposal was made, Secretary Ickes took keen interest in the manner in which the Tennessee speaker, Mr. Webster, presented the plan. North Carolina’s speakers were introduced to Secretary Ickes by Governor J.C.B. Ehringhaus. They spoke in the following order, consuming one hour and thirty minutes: R.G. Browning, locating engineer of the state highway commission, Frank Page, former head of the highway for 10 years; Robert Latham, editor of The Asheville Citizen; Senator Robert Reynolds; Congressman R.L. Doughton, and Senator J.W. Bailey. The Tennessee speakers were introduced by their Governor, Hill McAllister, who also made the last, and most impressive summary of the case in the behalf of his state: Frank W. Webster, for 17 years chief engineer; General W.T. Kinnedy, chairman of citizens committee, Knoxville; Congressman J. Will Taylor; Senator Kenneth D. McKellar, and Senator Nathan Bockman. Twent [sic] minutes before the hearing began, all seats in the auditorium of the Interior Building were taken and over a 100 stood in the aisles and hallway. Secretary Ickes requested that there be no applause, but each delegation ignored his request and [indecipherable] applauded most of their speakers even during the course of their remarks. This was especially true of Senator Bailey of North Carolina and Governor McAllister of Tennessee–these two making the outstanding pleas of the hearing. The North Carolina delegation gave a tremendous applause when Governor Ehringhaus and Senator Reynolds walked into the auditorium. The Tennessee delegation which was only about one fourth that from North Carolina, well supported their speakers throughout the three hours of rapidfire pleading. Secretary Ickes presided at the hearing and seldom changed the determined business like expression on his face. Only once during the hearing did he smile, and that was when Senator Taylor stated that he was the only Republican taking part on the program. “We won’t hold that against you during this hearing,” Secretary Ickes replied smiling. Every member of the North Carolina highway commission was present, except two who were absent on account of illness; and all the congressional districts were officially represented. Engineer Browning took the opening thirty minutes for North Carolina and pointed out to Secretary Ickes on two eight-foot beautifully colored maps the advantages this state had over Tennessee for the Parkway. In part he said: “The range in North Carolina is cut by only three streams, while Tennessee has seven. There are no drainage problems to speak of, because the route is on top of the divide. There would not have to be any deep cuts or fills in the North Carolina route to mar the beauty of the country. Sixty miles of the route is through national forest. (This information was given in answer to a question by Secretary Ickes.) There is no end of Mountain ranges and an unlimited number of never-tiring views.” Mr. Browning stressed the fact that the Great Smoky Mountains National Park was within two days drive of 75 million people, and that the project was of national interest, and only a scenic route should be considered. Mr. Browning was followed by Frank Page, who stressed the fact that he thought it a “practical impossibility” to build a scenic route through the Tennessee area. He urged area should be fostered and not inture [sic] and if he didn’t, then later the error would be corrected. Robert Latham dwelled on the slump in tourist business in this section during the past five years, and maintained that the Parkway was the main avenue of approach to the park and that the tourist industry in this area should be fostered and not injured. Mr. Latham went into detail as to what the building of the Parkway through North Carolina would do towards stabilizing the population in this area. The sectional advantages were dwelled upon at some length. Senator Reynolds in his usual entertaining manner told Secretary Ickes that the parkway meant more to the state of North Carolina than anything that could be presented to the state in a decade. “There are three points I want to stress–I am a native and representative of the state. I also represent 123,000,000 people and $ [sic] am an expert eye witness,” he said. “I’ve traveled over the world and there is no country on earth that excells [sic] Western North Carolina for scenery. It is the land of inspiration.” Congressman Doughton told Secretary Ickes that if the territory around Linville Falls had not been so thickly populated that the Great National Park would have been built there rather than in the western part of the state, this, he said, was because of the scenery. “There is not any scenery in Eastern America that can compare with that of the proposed North Carolina route,” he continued. “The parkway will benefit neglected people–it will bring permanent relief to them, and by building the parkway along the route as proposed by the state highway commission it will be conforming with what it was intended,” he concluded. The five speakers consumed one hour and ten minutes, which left a twenty minute limit for a rebuttal by Senator Bailey. Frank Webster, the Tennessee highway engineer, also had maps and photographs and took extreme care in pointing out the intended “loop” which would give two entrances into the park–one at Gatlinburg and one from Hartford via Soco Gap. Mr. Webster’s chief contention was that Tennessee offered a wide variety of scenery, from mountain tops to streams and coves, while North Caroline was wanting only a mountain top route. “North Carolina already has 20 miles more of the parkway than we are asking for,” he continued. He then brought in the fact that the special advisory committee of Secretary Ickes had reported in favor of Tennessee which could not be ignored. General Kennedy impressed on Secretary Ickes that Tennessee was the first to begin the park–”our part was the nest egg,” he said. “We lost no time in acquiring thousand of acres and have worked untiringly ever since.” General Kennedy brought in historical facts which had little or no bearing on the parkway except to show that Tennessee had contributed much to the making of the nation. Congressman Will Taylor termed North Carolina as selfish and greedy, in that she wanted not only more than half of the parkway, but all of it. He even hinted that the drawings as presented by Mr. Browning for North Carolina were “imaginary,” and not accurate. Congressman Taylor told Secretary Ickes that “it is purely an Asheville project.” This was said in direct reply to the argument presented by Mr. Lathan, of Asheville. He also went into detail of the beauty of the Roan Mountain section, which wos [sic] one of the strong points presented by Tennessee. Senator McKellar, on whom Tennessee is depending to a large degree to get them the route, produced and read the report of the advisory committee to Secretary Ickes. He began with the beginning of the proposed parkway, when it was agreed that it would be a three-state proposition–Virginia, North Carolina and Tennessee. “It has been mutually agreed that the route be a ‘half-and-half route’ instead of one state having it all. And considering the report of the advisory committee it doesn’t seem possible to adopt any other route,” he said earnestly. “North Carolina already has over one-half the route and now wants it all,” he concluded. Senator Bockman made an entertaining plea, terming Tennessee as North Carolina’s red-headed step child. One of the senator’s remarks brought forth much laughter when he said, “Mr. Secretary, you can stand on the high peaks in Tennessee and tickle the toes of angels.” “And I believe,” he continued, “That when the Lord rested the seventh day he looked down on Eastern Tennessee and said, ‘Behold, it is good.’” The remaining thirty minutes of Tennessee’s time was taken by Governor McAllister, who gave a summary of the entire case in an impressive manner. His main points being the committee’s recommendation and the fact that North Carolina already had a great portion of the parkway. Senator Bailey then presented in 18 minutes a fitting and climaxing and impressive argument for North Carolina. “If the parkway is routed solely on its merits, then North Carolina will be satisfied,” the senior Senator said. “There are no tourist hotels in Eastern Tennessee, because they come to Western North Carolina.” “Since this is to be a National Scenic Parkway, why should a route be chosen that would compell [sic] millions of people to spiral down to the levels of seven rivers, while in North Carolina the route is on top of the mountains which afford scenery that can not be had from the bottom of valleys?” Senator Bailey received a round of applause from the large North Carolina delegation at several different intervals of his address. In the remaining two minutes Governor Ehringhaus thanked Secretary Ickes for the courtesy he had shown North Carolina, not only at the hearing Tuesday, but on all other former occasions. Mr. Browning handed then to Secretary Ickes an official map which he asked to be compared with the drawings from which he had made his talk. This was done to over-ride the “hint” on the part of Tennessee’s speakers that the drawings were more or less imaginary. Secretary Ickes congratulated both states for their able arguments but gave no indication when he would render a decision other to say: “There will be no hasty decision, as it is too vital a question to both states. I will endeavor to arrive at a decision that will be fair and just, and will decide strictly on merits.” Secretary Ickes also imtimated [sic] he would probably make a trip over the proposed routes before rendering his decision.

"Committee Proposes 'Loop' Into This County With Parkway Thru Soco Gap"

The Blue Ridge Parkway project was started, in part, as a way to connect the Shenandoah National Park in Virginia to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in North Carolina and Tennessee. However, major conflict was caused by two conflicting route proposals submitted by North Carolina and Tennessee. While Tennessee suggested a route that traveled into parts of both states, North Carolina’s proposal positioned the route only in North Carolina, skipping Tennessee completely. This article from The Waynesville Mountaineer reports on a hearing in Washington D.C. that would help decide which route would receive approval. According to the article, the speakers for the North Carolina proposal emphasized scenery and tourism in their arguments for their preferred route.

Contributed to DigitalNC by Haywood County Public Library, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, State Archives of North Carolina

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Waynesville, N.C. (Haywood County)

North Carolina’s Blue Ridge Parkway

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Background

The Blue Ridge Parkway is a road that spans 469 miles along the Blue Ridge Mountains in Virginia and North Carolina. The Parkway has been one of the most-visited sites in the National Park Service system since the 1940s, drawing crowds of visitors who wish to view the mountain scenery and enjoy nearby towns and tourist attractions. Although the Blue Ridge Parkway was formed to provide employment for job-seekers, improve local economies through increased tourist traffic, and connect two national parks, the road’s history shows that conflict played a key role in preventing these goals. Disagreements over route planning, eminent domain, and other land issues were a significant hurdle in building the Parkway.

The project to build the Blue Ridge Parkway was first put into action in 1933 with funding from the Public Works Administration (PWA), a New Deal agency established to create jobs for the unemployed by funding large public works projects. After funds were received and planning of the Parkway began, arguments arose over how the road would be routed. The Parkway was meant to connect two national parks together: the Shenandoah National Park in Virginia and the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in North Carolina and Tennessee. Two conflicting proposals for the route were submitted by North Carolina and Tennessee officials, leading to a long battle over which state’s preferred route would receive approval from the federal government. The federal government held hearings on the issue until the North Carolina route won approval in 1934. North Carolina lobbyists–many of them businessmen in the tourist industry–helped support their state’s proposal. As sections of the Parkway were completed, already-established tourist areas of western North Carolina, like Asheville, Blowing Rock, and Little Switzerland, saw significant economic benefits from increased tourism.

Routing proposals were not the only source of conflict for the Parkway. After the North Carolina route plan had been approved, the state government had to take ownership of the lands that the route would pass through. As Parkway planners wished to retain the beauty of the surrounding scenery, the government also had to establish ownership over the land beside where the road would be built. This meant that Parkway planners would be in control of areas of land, sometimes up to a thousand feet, adjacent to the Parkway itself. 

North Carolina used the power of eminent domain to take control over lands for the Blue Ridge Parkway. With this power, North Carolina forcibly bought land from thousands of landowners living along the future Parkway route. Although Parkway advocates often claimed the road would bring economic gain to the region through tourist visits, many of these rural landowners received no great profit from Parkway tourism. Eminent domain caused them to lose their lands and homes, and they often had little choice in refusing to sell their property for the Parkway. Other land and routing issues arose with the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians. While Cherokee land was not threatened by eminent domain, it was a subject of intense disagreement between the Cherokee tribal council, the National Park Service, and the North Carolina State Highway Commission for years. Parkway planners initially offered the Cherokee council a route that would cut through valuable farmland in Soco Valley and encroach on many people’s lands and homes. By 1940, however, the Cherokee accepted a new route proposal that bypassed Soco Valley. 

Even after past issues had been resolved, more problems emerged and prevented the completion of the Blue Ridge Parkway. World War II put a temporary stop to construction work on the Parkway from 1943 to the end of the war. In the 1950s and 1960s, the owner of popular tourist attractions on Grandfather Mountain blocked Parkway planners from building the final “missing link” of the Parkway. Construction did not begin on the last seven miles of the Blue Ridge Parkway until 1968, when a compromise had finally been reached between the National Park Service and the Grandfather Mountain owner. It was not until 1987, when work on those seven miles had finished, that the Blue Ridge Parkway was completed.

Discussion Questions

  1. Consider this article on Secretary Ickes from The Alleghany Times and this C.C.C. camp article from The Journal-Patriot. What were some of the reasons that the Blue Ridge Parkway was created? How does the Parkway connect to New Deal programs created by President Franklin D. Roosevelt?

  2. Take a look at this article from The Henderson Daily Dispatch, making sure to focus on how the article depicts the “parkway tangle.” How does the article describe the eminent domain issue? Whose perspective in the conflict does it consider and uplift? Whose perspective does it neglect?

  3. This Waynesville Mountaineer article reports on a hearing about Blue Ridge Parkway route proposals submitted by Tennessee and North Carolina. According to the article, six speakers argued that the North Carolina route—not the Tennessee route—was the better option for the Parkway.

    • Consider the six people who spoke for the North Carolina route at the hearing, making sure to notice their careers. What perspectives are most prominent here?
    • What arguments did the speakers make to convince attendees at the hearing that the North Carolina route was the better option? What aspects of North Carolina did they highlight?

  4. Conflict, controversy, and disagreement played a significant part in the history of the Blue Ridge Parkway.

    • What kinds of conflicts are a part of the Parkway’s history? What themes or topics do you notice in disagreements about the Parkway?
    • How did conflict prevent and/or change the planning and construction of the Blue Ridge Parkway?

  5. In what ways did the construction of the Blue Ridge Parkway change western North Carolina? Consider geography and nature, the economy, and local communities.

This primary source set was compiled by Isabella Walker.

Updated January 2025