History Bryson City, North Carolina

everett street

around 1818, cherokee chief known big bear received 640-acre (2.6 km) reservation of land west of confluence of deep creek , tuckasegee river, included of bryson city. big bear sold part of reservation darling belk in 1819 , part john b. love in 1824. throughout 1830s, belk s heirs , love fought extended legal battle on control of big bear reservation, love prevailing in 1840. following year, love sold part of land james , diana shuler. shulers, in turn, sold off parts of land colonel thaddeus bryson , merchant alfred cline. small hamlet known bear springs developed amidst once big bear s reservation.

swain county formed parts of jackson county , macon county in 1871, , new commissioners first met @ cline s store (now operated cline s widow, lucy ann raby cline) @ bear springs. lucy ann raby cline agreed sell several lots of land formation of county seat new county. county seat, known charleston, laid out in t-shape formed main street , everett street (the latter street named county s first sheriff, epp everett). first swain county courthouse completed in 1874. in 1872, shortly after completion of new jail, legendary jailbreak occurred @ swain county jail when gang led harvey cooper stormed jail , freed tom colvert, whom deemed unjustly imprisoned killing rival @ saloon in robbinsville.

in 1889, people of charleston changed city s name bryson city acknowledge many services rendered city thaddeus bryson , eliminate confusion brought sharing name charleston, south carolina. western north carolina railroad laid tracks through bryson city in 1884, easing transportation previously-remote area. bryson city bank opened in 1904 , current swain county courthouse completed in 1908.

great smoky mountains railroad depot

the great smoky mountains national park, opened in 1933, provides major source of revenue swain county. horace kephart, author , outdoors enthusiast operated out of bryson city several years, key proponent creation of park. deep creek section of park, north of bryson city, home large campground , multiple trailheads. park s main eastern entrance located few miles east of bryson city @ cherokee. cherokee home southern terminus of blue ridge parkway.

the completion of fontana dam in 1944 inundated highway connecting bryson city remote area of smokies known north shore. u.s. government began constructing new highway in 1948, although work on highway (known lakeview drive) embarrassingly slow. 1972, 7 miles (11 km) had been completed. environmental , financial issues stalled project, , road became known locals road . in 2007, national park service deemed road s construction in violation of great smoky mountains national park s general management plan, , began working swain county find alternative.

the increasing popularity of automobile led decline in railroad transportation, , southern railway (who had replaced western north carolina railroad) dropped passenger service in 1948. after norfolk southern ended freight traffic on railroad in 1985, state of north carolina purchased tracks. in 1988, scenic line known great smoky mountains railroad established depot , departure point in bryson city.

in cormac mccarthy s 1979 novel, suttree, title character winds in bryson city after wandering on mountains gatlinburg. kicked out of restaurant swearing @ waitress , refused service @ bar before buying bus ticket knoxville.

in 2015, first fm station launched. wtij-fm (100.7) broadcasts local , nationally syndicated ministers plays christian music. station owned grace christian academy , broadcasts on air , online 24/7.