Firemoose. I have a history question

[McLeansvilleAppFan]

How far back does your family have connections to Watauga County? I have a railroad question.

[NattyBumppo'sRevenge]

If it has to do with Tweetsie, I got you. I first went 44 years ago and was also a zombie Indian and dancing Indian in the late 90’s. To my defense, I’m at least 5% Lumbee Indian.

[firemoose]

How far back does your family have connections to Watauga County? I have a railroad question.

Since the mid 1700's for one side and the late 1700's/early 1800's for one half of the other side. The earliest family settled in the Buffalo Cove area first then a few years later they moved on up the mountain.

I don't know if you're referring to the Watauga and Yadkin Valley line that went through Wilkes and a little of Caldwell then into Darby (terminus of the first segment). The original plan was to go from Darby to Boone and on to Tennessee. Floods and finances made that unattainable.

I had some relatives work for the line early on and also had some working for the Southern in Caldwell. I also had two or three who worked for the ET & WNC and the logging lines in and around Boone and west plus two I've found with the Deep Gap Tie and Lumber Company line. No family worked for the Virginia and Carolina that I've found so far. Lots of family history records were lost in the 16', 18' and 40' floods.

Let me know and I'll see if I can dig up the info for you.

[BambooRdApp]

If it has to do with Tweetsie, I got you. I first went 44 years ago and was also a zombie Indian and dancing Indian in the late 90’s. To my defense, I’m at least 5% Lumbee Indian.

That is awesome story

[McLeansvilleAppFan]

My question was about the WYR RR. I was reading an old Trains issue from 1942 (they can be downloaded in PDF format.) and the article was on ET&WNC and a map showed some connections that I was fairly sure never happened. One was WYR all the way to Boone and another was Lenior to Wilkesboro. Trains did have a note that information on WYR may not be accurate.

Facebook has a group that has been posting a few pictures of River St with the rail line and someone even tried to overlay the old tracks onto a modern view from Google Earth.

I won a grant (it may have been my first) where I purchased 7.5' quad topo maps from Wilkesboro to Boone. I think there are four needed and some software to print more on a laser printer. I made my Earth Sci students, and we combined with a US History class, and they had to build a rail line from the end of the line in N. Wilkesboro to Boone. I made them cost out per mile, tunnels, grade crossings and limited them to a maximum grade, though the max grade was unrealistic but the best that could be done with the resolution of the maps. I thought it was a heck of a fun activity for 4 or 5 days. Maps and trains, what was not to like. (I am sure not every student shared my enthusiasm.)

[McLeansvilleAppFan]

If it has to do with Tweetsie, I got you. I first went 44 years ago and was also a zombie Indian and dancing Indian in the late 90’s. To my defense, I’m at least 5% Lumbee Indian.

I worked with a younger teacher that was from the Boone area. His summer job was driving the train. Lucky guy.

[McLeansvilleAppFan]

Speaking of Tweetsie. About 20 years ago my father and I went to the Halloween Tweetsie night. We were up at the top of the mtn standing in line, I think t ride the skylift back down. The person in front of me was complaining about how cold it was, and he had never been that cold. It was a biting cold and windy. I asked him where he was from,expecting the answer to be Florida or something. He was from upstate NY. Neither of us were really dressed for the temperatures.

[Cro-Magnon App]

McLeansville, a question for you. Back there at Tweetsie at the “fort”, was there a basketball goal there?

[McLeansvilleAppFan]

McLeansville, a question for you. Back there at Tweetsie at the “fort”, was there a basketball goal there?

I never worked there, so I would not know. I visited as a kid, then once or twice when the kids were too young and then with the kids once or twice. I think the last time was the Halloween visit when they were teens. Hopefully I can take my granddaughter in a couple years. She is still a bit young. I think the ideal age is 6-8. Old enough to remember but not too old to not want to imagine. I think that upper age is falling since WWII.

[App_in_Maiden]

McLeansville, a question for you. Back there at Tweetsie at the “fort”, was there a basketball goal there?

I never worked there, so I would not know. I visited as a kid, then once or twice when the kids were too young and then with the kids once or twice. I think the last time was the Halloween visit when they were teens. Hopefully I can take my granddaughter in a couple years. She is still a bit young. I think the ideal age is 6-8. Old enough to remember but not too old to not want to imagine. I think that upper age is falling since WWII.

We took our daughter last year when she turned 3. Absolutely loved it and keeps asking to go back. Like I need another excuse to visit Boone….