A year ago, on April 19, 2019, my husband and I celebrated our 50th wedding anniversary. He gave me a beautiful pair of diamond and amber earrings and I gave him a small brass commemorative sun-dial. On the 20th, our children and grandchildren treated us to presents and a wonderful family dinner at a fine restaurant.
This year, since our state is under a “shelter in place” order, we spent our 51st anniversary at home and had to settle for phone calls and texts from our children and grandchildren. Our anniversary dinner consisted of homemade American fried potatoes and salmon patties. However, we are very grateful that we are all healthy and safe.
What a difference a year makes in one’s life. In May, of 2019, we took a two-week trip to Kentucky and Tennessee to extend our 50th anniversary-year celebration. This year, since we are unable to take such a trip, I decided to revisit, via my photos, last year’s memorable trip. This year we settled for an hour’s long walk in the woods.
Our trip began on the day after Mother’s Day, Monday, May 13, 2019. We spent the night in Indiana and then onto Kentucky the next morning. Our first stop was Cumberland Falls State Park in Corbin, Kentucky. We had been there before and wanted to see the falls again. The falls at the park are often referred to as the “Niagara of the South” and for good reason. They have a 125-foot fall to the rock-filled river below. We have never been around to see it, but on a full-moon night, the falls are known for their moon bow. Our walk that day was quite pleasant and as always, we enjoyed the beauty of the falls. It was also nice enough for a picnic lunch. After our visit to the falls, we decided to spend the night in Corbin, Kentucky.
Not far from Corbin, Kentucky, is London, Kentucky. Our travels the next day took us there next. We found our way to the Levi Jackson Wilderness Road State Park. This park has camping and a museum that, unfortunately, was not open the day we were there. However, the park has many trails to walk and also is the site of the 19th century McHargue’s Mill. The mill is a reproduction of a working watermill but was also not open for demonstration that day. It was built by the Civilian Conservation Corps in 1939. The mill stones used in today’s mill had been brought to this site in 1805. Even though we could not go inside the mill, we enjoyed reading about the history of milling and looking at the many different types of mill stones on display.
That same day, we drove a little farther south and also visited the Dr. Thomas Walker State Historic Site at Barbourville, Kentucky. We learned something quite interesting that day. Dr. Walker was the first frontiersman in Kentucky who ventured there in 1750, even before Daniel Boone. He named the gap he traversed through Cumberland Gap. He built the first log cabin in Kentucky and, at the park, you can see a replica of that cabin as well as a marker erected in 1922.
Our adventures the next day took us south and east to Cumberland Gap National Historic Park, located near Middlesboro, Kentucky. This 24,000-acre park has almost 85 miles of hiking trails and many awe-inspiring views. We had been there previously and knew the beauty of the park. We took advantage of many of the trails we had walked before. The first trail took us to the Pinnacle Overlook. From this vantage point of an elevation of 2440 feet, you can view three different states: Kentucky, Virginia and Tennessee. You could see the little town of Cumberland Gap, Tennessee, from here. I especially liked the view of Fern Lake, southwest of the overlook. I also thought it was fun to stand in both Kentucky and Virginia at the same time.
Farther east, off US 58, is the eastern information center called the Daniel Boone Visitor Information Center. Here, you learn more about the history of Daniel Boone’s and others’ treks along the Wilderness Road Trail. We walked the trail for about a mile or so to the little settlement of Cumberland Gap, Tennessee. It only has a population of about 500 people but it is charming and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. While there, we visited the remains of an iron production furnace from the late 1800’s. Also located there, was a little ice cream shop. Since it was a rather warm day, we each had a delicious cone to eat as we made our way back to the visitor center.
On Friday morning, May 17th, we made our way to our pre-arranged destination: The Smoky Mountains in Tennessee. I had made reservations way back in late October of 2018, for us to spend an anniversary celebration in a beautiful cabin located between Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg, Tennessee. Our cabin was named Arrowhead and when we arrived, I was not disappointed. It was everything the description and photos had promised. There was a covered porch off both the living room and master bedroom where you could sit in a rocker and enjoy the beauty of the area. Every morning, I enjoyed my morning coffee sitting there in one of the rocking chairs. In the evening, after a busy day of hiking in the mountains, we would sit there, relax and watch the sun go down. It was such a peaceful wooded area.
I chose this area for our cabin rental as the Smoky Mountains are one of our favorite places to visit. We love the outdoors and we love history, so this setting was perfect for both. Saturday morning, we were up early to drive the 15 miles to the Sugarlands Visitor Center, where we would begin our journey for the day. From the visitor center, we took the 30-mile drive along Little River Road to the entrance of the Cades Cove Loop Road. This is an 11-mile, one-way road that takes you through an isolated valley in the mountains. It was first settled by European settlers in 1818, by one John Oliver. His cabin is the first historic ,structure you come to on your drive.
Other structures you can visit and see on your drive are the Missionary Baptist Church, the home of Elijah Oliver, the John Cable Gristmill, the Henry Whitehead cabin and the Dan Lawson place, just to name a few. For those younger and more adventurous, you can also take the five-mile round trip to Abrams Falls. For us, a one-day tour of the Cove was enough, as we had been there before.
Sunday found us once again up early and ready to head to the mountains. As we had the day before, we packed a small picnic lunch to take with us. Today’s destination was Newfound Gap, the 5,048-foot mountain peak in the Smoky Mountains National Park that you can reach by taking the Newfound Gap Road. Besides being one of the highest points of the park, it is also the site where President Franklin Roosevelt dedicated the park in 1940. Many people visit this site as it is the center of the park and you can stand on both North Carolina and Tennessee at one time. Many of those who want to hike just a portion of the Appalachian Trail begin here. We walked it for just a short distance that day. I especially like the views of the mountains from this vantage point. I also enjoy driving through the mountain tunnels on the Gap road.
After spending some time at the Gap, we continued on the road to the eastern-most end of the park to the Oconaluftee Visitor Center. We took time to visit another site on our way. It was Mingus Mill. The mill is one of two water-powered mills in the park. From mid-April through October the mill is in operation and grinds corn to make wheat flour and corn meal. I bought some of each.
Once we arrived at the visitor center, we only had a short walk to the Mountain Farm Museum located in the North Carolina section of the Park. This museum replicates a late 19th century farm. Visitors take a self-guided tour and can take in all the buildings the homestead has to offer. The buildings on the homestead were all originally situated somewhere else and brought to the park to replicate a homestead of the time period. The house located at the farm was built by John E. Davis in 1899. As you tour the farm, you get to see the meat house, apple house, corn crib and barn. The entire homestead is located along the banks of the Oconaluftee River.
On our way back to our cabin, I had my husband make a side turn off of Newfound Gap Road. Several years ago, we had gone to the area of Clingman’s Dome and made the slow hike to the top. However, that long-ago day had been in the morning and it was so foggy you could see nothing. This day, in contrast, the weather was beautiful and I wanted to climb to the top of the Dome again. It has an elevation of 6,643 feet and is the highest point of the Smokies. It attracts many visitors from around the world. My husband opted out of the steep, half-mile climb but I was determined to make it. As I made my way up to the base of the dome, and then wound my way around the climb to the top, I was tired but very glad I had made the effort. From that vantage point you can see for miles in all four directions, viewing both Tennessee and North Carolina.
Monday was going to be our last day on the mountains as we had to head home the next day. Since driving along the Little River Road is so beautiful, we decided to go back to Cades Cove Visitor Center as we always enjoy walking through the campground found there and shopping in the gift shop. After spending some time there, and on our way back to Gatlinburg, we stopped at another popular place in the Smokies. It is an area simply referred to as The Sinks. It is one of the prettiest spots along the Little River Road.
This man-made water fall drops fifteen feet over jagged rocks and drains the entire flow of the Little River. It was created in the late 1800’s. Hundreds of logs had jammed up in the horseshoe curve of the river. Loggers set off dynamite to loosen the jam. This created a thirty-foot-deep hole and gave the river a new route. We were fortunate to have another visitor offer to take some photos of us while we were there.
Tuesday, May 21, 2019, it was time to begin our trek back to Michigan as we had some other obligations later that week. However, I could not have asked for better weather nor a better spot to spend our final celebration of our 50 years of marriage.
Until next time, “Stay safe and keep believing.”
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Congratulations on the amazing anniversary milestone!! My grandparents will be married for 50 years soon. It’s a true accomplishment and testament to the love and respect to be had for each other. ❤ Too bad you couldn’t celebrate with your family.
These look like great adventures! Congratulations on your anniversary!
Wow this looks like a great trip and congrats on 51+ years of marriage.
The pictures are spectacular! I love learning the history of places. I may have to add a few of these places onto my must see travel list, thank you.
Great trip! We often spend time in the Cherokee NC area and recently went to the Oconaluftee Visitor Center where we saw the mountain farm and Elk.. we never go into Tennessee but maybe we should! It looks like some awesome places to see.. Thanks!
Congratulations on your 50th and now your 51st year of marriage. Love the rustic nature of your photos and makes me want to get out and hike. Thanks.
Congratulations on 51 years!!! 🎉🙌 Your trip last year looks and sounds amazing!
What a wonderful trip. I’ve always wanted to go to the Smokey Mountains and thats one trip I think my hubby would like. Now I am sure of it. This all looked so beautiful and serene. Happy anniversary.
Congratulations on your anniversary! I’m impressed by your adventurous spirit and it looks like you had a wonderful adventure!
Such a great place to visit. My family spent Christmas in a cabin similar to the one you stayed in. I’ll have to look for the places you visited next time we head through that area.
Wow, what an accomplishment. Congratulations on this milestone and thanks for sharing your trip with us <3