Extinct Species
The Appalachian region is the home of more species of plants and animals than any other temperate forest on earth. Through the long stretch of geological time, life forms have come and gone.
Floods of 1916 and 1940
Many people in the mountains of Appalachia vividly remember September, 2004. During that month, the rains and winds of Hurricanes Frances and Ivan combined to swell the French Broad, Catawba, and Pigeon Rivers to record flood levels. Several fatalities and millions of...
Ghost Towns
Towns do not survive forever. Western North Carolina has a number of its own lost towns. They disappeared for a number of reasons.
Grandfather Mountain
Over 700 million years ago two gigantic plates within the earth’s crust slammed together. Among the results was the creation of one of the highest peaks in the Blue Ridge Mountain range, Grandfather Mountain. At 5,964 feet, the mountain is one of Appalachia’s most visited attractions and one of its most unique natural wonders.
Great Smoky Mountains National Park
America’s first National Parks were created out West. By the early 20th century, Easterners who feared the loss of nature in their rapidly industrializing region wanted their own park. Businessmen and outdoorsmen in Eastern Tennessee and Western North Carolina, led...
Outdoor Recreation
In the fall of 2006, students in PRM 433, Outdoor Recreation, researched recreational opportunities in western North Carolina. They were asked to explore an aspect of outdoor recreation in western North Carolina. They divided into four groups and off they went, exploring the regions fine recreational opportunities.
Tonya Carroll (B.A., 2007 M.A., 2009) with Bruce Frazier (Carol Grotnes Belk Endowed Professor in Commercial & Electronic Music) in the recording studio.