Tellico Plains in Monroe County, Tennessee — The American South (East South Central)

Logging in the Tellico Plains Area

Photographed by Tom Bosse, November 22, 2024

1. Logging in the Tellico Plains Area Marker

Inscription. When Babcock began harvesting timber from the Tellico Mountains in 1906, the forest was primarily a virgin forest. Prior to this, the native Americans only took from the forest what they used for the necessities of life. Some of the largest hardwoods were the Chestnut and Yellow Poplar trees with heights of over 140 feet and 7 feet in diameter. Other trees included were Northern Red Oak, Maple, Beech, and Basswood trees.

Captions
(Photo #1) The new babcock mill was built at Vose (Alcoa) to saw timber from the Slickrock and Citico lands. Babcock started his expansive lumber operation in 1906.
(Photo #2) Destined for the sawmill, a logging train descends the west side of Bald River Falls with a load of logs.
(Photo #3) Large poplar log that shows the immensity of the virgin timber that was harvested.
(Photo #4) A carload of logs sits at the top of a rail incline. Winch lines pulled the cars up and let the cars down the steep grades.
(Photo #5) A Shay engine pushes a log loader along the Tellico River about 1915.
(Photo #6) Massive logging occurred at Red Log Gap in the Rough Ridge Creek area. Notice the skidder in front of the engine.
(Photo #7) Beside a mountain stream, the log loader pulled behind Shay #3 hoists a log from the long pile onto the flatcar.

Logging
Paid Advertisement

Click or scan to see
this page online
halted in 1924 and the 44,000 acres of watershed lands was sold to the Cherokee National Forest.

Erected by Charles Hall Museum.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Horticulture & Forestry • Industry & Commerce. A significant historical year for this entry is 1906.

Location. 35° 22.01′ N, 84° 17.836′ W. Marker is in Tellico Plains, Tennessee, in Monroe County. It is at the intersection of Cherohala Skyway (Tennessee Route 165) and Veterans Memorial Drive, on the left when traveling east on Cherohala Skyway. Marker is located outside the Cherohala Skyway Visitors Center. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 225 Cherohala Skyway, Tellico Plains TN 37385, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in East Tennessee.

It is also in the American South,

specifically in the Upper South,

in Appalachia,

and specifically in Southern Appalachia. Globally, it is in North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the original Cherokee Nation,

the territory of the Mississippian

Photographed by Tom Bosse, November 22, 2024

2. Logging in the Tellico Plains Area Marker

Culture,

one of the Confederate States of America,

and the Antebellum South.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Cherokee Heritage Trails (here, next to this marker); Tellico Iron Works (here, next to this marker); Tellico Tales: Charles Hall Museum / Stokley Bottoms (a few steps from this marker); Uncle Josh Graves (within shouting distance of this marker); Unicoi Turnpike Trail (within shouting distance of this marker); The Tennessee Overhill Experience (about 700 feet away, measured in a direct line); Fort Loudoun Massacre (about 700 feet away); Boyhood Home of Ray H. Jenkins (about 700 feet away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Tellico Plains.

Credits. This page was last revised on December 1, 2024. It was originally submitted on November 28, 2024, by Tom Bosse of Jefferson City, Tennessee. This page has been viewed 431 times since then and 75 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on November 28, 2024, by Tom Bosse of Jefferson City, Tennessee. • James Hulse was the editor who published this page.