Evening star., 1951-05-06
By Jessie Font Evons

| Oy jessie TUUt 6VOUS
The Cherokee Indian Reserva-
tion, largest organized one east OF
Wisconsin, is situated at the
southern approach to the Great
Smoky Mountains National Park.
It's background begins from a his
torical standpoint with the COM
ing of De Soto in 1540, when this
domain was the stronghold of q
proud and once powerful tribe.
In 1889, by the mandate of our
Government. the tribe was or
dered to the Cherokee Strip in
the Indian Territory, now the
State of Oklahoma. Many fled to
remote parts of their mountain
businesses. The present holdings
Eof their descendants constitute
the reprieve granted their fore
fathers by a repentant Uncle
Sam.
Comparable to "The Lost Col
ony" and 'The Common Glory
is Kermit Hunters poetic histori-
cal drama of their flight entitled,
Unto These Hills" Staged each
summer by the University of
North Carolina Players, with a
choral accompaniment of original
music written by Jack Frederick
Fitzpatrick, the Indian composer
|it attracts thousands of visitors.
The amphitheater in which the
play is given is fitted into a
mountain-rimmed bowl. In the
cathedral silence in which we
visited this setting already being
readied by Indian workmen for
the June 23-through-July 8 sea-
son. 1t was easy to visualize the
broad canvas of history.
Now Federally Owned,
/ Prior to the Goth century the
area now comprising the Great
Smoky Mountains National Park
was little known to the outside
world. Today is is said to be
visited by more people than any
other Of our national parks. On
the crest of the high divide, which
forms the boundary between
Tennessee and North Carolina. it
is now Federally owned. made
possible by the cooperation of
the two States and the generosity
or John D. Rockefeller, jr
through the Laura Spellman
rockefeller Memorial. in honor of
his mother.
Starting with 158,S76 acres, this
park now contains approximately
505.oO0.
Where the forest has not vet
encroached upon them are clear
lngs. which were once the sloping
little farms of the sturdy mountain
pioneers of Scotch and English de-
scent. who came this way and be-
come isolated in its midst. Log
cabins, corncribs, crude mill
wheels, utilizing the power of rush
ing. rock-strewn streams, are being
restored as evidence of a way of
lie that has almost disappeared
from the Eastern part of our coun-
try. Handmade tools, household
objects and other memorabilia of
the hardy settlers that came here
before George Washington's time
are being collected and preserved
They may be seen in a temporary
Pioneer Museum in the Oconaluf-
tee Ranger Station, a mile north
OF the Cherokee Indian Reserva-
ton.
Haze Gives It the Name.
The blue haze, which rises to
the SUBMITS of some 16 peaks more
than 5000 feet in height, gives it's
name. Great Smoky Mountains.
While the azalea and rhododen-
drons which literally cover these
mountain sides are not yet in
bloom and will not be, until late
May and June. spring is burgeon-
ing all about us. White dogwood
Weaves its spell of beauty. The
tiny umbrellas of the May apple
make large colonies on the hill
sides, and where the two leaves
OF the plant join is it's white
hover. sometimes called the mead
oW lily. Indian pinks are patches
or brilliant color. In the shaded
creek bottoms there are veritable