Gatlinburg in Sevier County, Tennessee — The American South (East South Central)

The Ephraim Bales Place

Photographed By Stanley and Terrie Howard, March 14, 2009

1. The Ephraim Bales Place Marker

The Ephraim Bales house is one of more than 80 historic buildings preserved in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Each stands as a memory to those who built it. Historic buildings like this are national treasures. Once lost, they can never be regained.

Inscription. It would be difficult to find a better place to imagine mountain life than this. Picture yourself growing up here as one of Ephraim and Minerva Bales' nine children. Look around. This was your world. Imagine yourself and 10 others living in this small cabin. Ephraim Bales owned 72 acres here. He farmed 30; the rest remained wooded. This was like many farms along the Roaring Fork, where families scratched a hard living from a very rocky land.

Erected by National Park Service U.S. Department of the Interior.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Settlements & Settlers.

Location. 35° 42.441′ N, 83° 28.289′ W. Marker is in Gatlinburg, Tennessee, in Sevier County. Marker can be reached from Cherokee Orchard Road. The Great Smoky Mountains Parkway Highway 73 down town Gatlinburg. Turn onto Airport Road. Airport Road becomes Cherokee Orchard Road. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Gatlinburg TN 37738, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 3 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. Noah "Bud" Ogle Farm (approx. 2.1 miles away); Baskins Creek (approx. 2.3 miles away); Tsali Monument (approx. 2.4 miles away); Pi Beta Phi Fraternity Centennial Plaza / Pi Beta Phi Fraternity Settlement School

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(approx. 2.4 miles away); Martha Jane Ogle Cabin (approx. 2.4 miles away); Village Gate (approx. 2.4 miles away); First Methodist Church – Gatlinburg (approx. 2.6 miles away); Rocky Top (approx. 2.6 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Gatlinburg.

Photographed By Bill Coughlin, August 5, 2012

2. The Ephraim Bales Place Marker

Photographed By Stanley and Terrie Howard, March 14, 2009

3. The Ephraim Bales Place Marker

Ephraim Bales Main House image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Bill Coughlin, August 5, 2012

4. Ephraim Bales Main House

The Ephraim Bales Place image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Stanley and Terrie Howard, March 14, 2009

5. The Ephraim Bales Place

The Bales home around 1935. The photo was taken from the other side of the house, which historically was the front. You are facing the back.
The two halves were probably built at different times around 1800-1900. The larger half was the living area the smaller, the kitchen.

Minerva "Nervy" Bales image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Stanley and Terrie Howard, March 14, 2009

6. Minerva "Nervy" Bales

Minerva "Nervy" Bales, cirea 1930. Ephraim had died around 1926. The Bales family lived here from about 1890 to about 1930.
Notice the boards on the wall on the right side of the photo. As families were able, they covered their homes with siding and often built frame additions.

Photographed By Stanley and Terrie Howard, March 14, 2009

7. The Ephraim Bales Place

The Bales Place, circa 1930, looking back this way from the hill beyond the house. The old road passed between the barn and the house. Notice the openness of the land, which Ephraim Bales once farmed.

Photographed By Stanley and Terrie Howard, March 14, 2009

8. The Ephraim Bales Place

Looking from the house to the barn. You can see the old road bed in front of the fence.

Photographed By Stanley and Terrie Howard, March 14, 2009

9. The Ephraim Bales Place

As you explore the house, try to find this "granny hole," the cabin's only window. Doors and windows were small-and few-to conserve heat and minimuze cutting structual logs.

Photographed By Stanley and Terrie Howard, March 14, 2009

10. The Ephraim Bales Place

This door is maybe 4' foot high.

Photographed By Stanley and Terrie Howard, March 14, 2009

11. The Ephraim Bales Place

The structures on the site today are original, but not all of the original buildings survived. At one time there was a wood shed, and possibly other structures.

Photographed By Stanley and Terrie Howard, March 14, 2009

12. Corn Crib

Photographed By Stanley and Terrie Howard, March 14, 2009

13. Hog Pen

View From the Barn image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Stanley and Terrie Howard, March 14, 2009

14. View From the Barn

Old Road Bed image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Stanley and Terrie Howard, March 14, 2009

15. Old Road Bed

Credits. This page was last revised on December 17, 2019. It was originally submitted on July 1, 2009, by Stanley and Terrie Howard of Greer, South Carolina. This page has been viewed 4,342 times since then and 163 times this year. Photos: 1. submitted on July 1, 2009, by Stanley and Terrie Howard of Greer, South Carolina. 2. submitted on August 15, 2012, by Bill Coughlin of Woodland Park, New Jersey. 3. submitted on July 1, 2009, by Stanley and Terrie Howard of Greer, South Carolina. 4. submitted on August 15, 2012, by Bill Coughlin of Woodland Park, New Jersey. 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15. submitted on July 1, 2009, by Stanley and Terrie Howard of Greer, South Carolina. • Syd Whittle was the editor who published this page.