Other Explorations

It occurred to me that there was a 320 acre tract of Forest Service land almost within the city limits of Hiawassee that, for some reason, I had never explored for old homesites. Studying the old maps, I marked about ten old homesite locations that once existed in the area. Unfortunately, at least half of them appeared to be on or below the waterline of current Lake Chatuge, constructed in 1941-42. I spent an afternoon exploring the area, and found the remains of three homesites. A fourth, which I later found out still had a chimney in the 1980s, had been converted into a wildlife clearing a few decades ago, and no sign of the homesite remains. I found nothing at two other sites that should have been on the uplands. The other sites I had marked are apparently just offshore now and underwater. I only found the remains of a single chimney, and it had been bulldozed long ago.

At first I only found a few scattered remains of human occupation, like these kettles and buckets.

This was the first area where I found any structural remains. A short wall at the bottom end of a terraced bank, near homesite 1. I'm not sure what its purpose was...

Homesite 1 Concrete structure at shoreline

When I first saw this, I thought it might be a fireplace. But why would it be enclosed by 4 posts and hogwire fencing? I soon determined that this was a well housing.

From this angle, one can see down into the well through the broken-up concrete slab. This will be covered with water when the lake reaches summer pool level.

Someone has lined up these stones more recently, since the eroded bank wouldn't have been created until after the lake was filled.

The well was the only remaining evidence of a homesite. The rocks scattered about here may have come from a chimney, and been dispersed by waves / water over the past 85 years.

Spring head, not far inland from the well. The lighting was terrible...

Odd semi-circle of rocks around an old tree trunk or pole.

Heading to the next site, a dogwood in bloom across the cove.

I was surprised to come across a large population of Columbo on the ridge.

American Columbo (Frasera caroliniensis) I hope some of these will bloom this year.

It was even growing all across the old road.

Daffodils were the first sign that I was approaching a second homesite.

Remains of old well at Homesite 2. I learned that the Forest Service had filled in the well here, but the fill has settled a few feet.

It's hard to see, but this is the remains of a chimney that's been knocked down and bulldozed.

There were tons of daffodils around this house site. This is just a couple more clumps of many dozens.

Remains of some old tubs. According to Bear Osborn, this was the homesite of Doc Nicholson.

Another dogwood, as I headed for the next homesite.

Well at Homesite 3. I later found out that this homesite belonged to Newt and Katie (Mauldin) Osborn before Lake Chatuge was built.

The concrete well head slab had been lifted and moved about 15 feet to the side.

Another view of the well house slab. You can see similarities between this slab and the broken-up one at the shoreline of Homesite 1.

There were several terraces here with daffodild growing.

At one location, a deep cut was made in a bank, and lined with short walls of rock on either side.

Looking straight down the cut, toward the present-day lake. The cut is about 30 feet long.

From the other side of the rock-lined cut... You can see the well slab at upper right.

Old auto fender

Unknown

This whiskey bottle was my best find of the day. It's a curved flask style with a spider web design, a spider on the left and a fly caught in the web at lower right.

View across the lake to Hiawassee and Bell Knob.

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