Re: Gathering Territory Trivia #11

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: : : GOOD MONDAY MORNING ALL,

: : : #11 - How did Chimney Rock get its name? The huge pillar of stone rising from the base of a steep cliff high on the side of Chimney Rock Mountain resembles a smokestack (we gatherers say it resembles something else, hmmmmmm), and some think that early settlers gave it the name after seeing morning mist rising from it. Others say the name came from Indians that used the it for sending smoke signals.

: : : Whichever the case, the rock as always attracted attention and given birth to many legends. Indians thought that the area around the rock was inhabited by a ghost tribe of little people (gnomes maybe????).

: : : There have been many ghost sightings reported at Chimney Rock. In 1811, newspapers carried reports of a ghostly cavalry battle in the sky over the rock, complete with sound, and verified by several witnesses from different locations (Maybe that's what we heard last year instead of thunder??)

: : : For an interesting read of a fictional tale set in the Chimney Rock/Lake Lure area, steeped in Chimney Rock folk lore and the history of the areas attraction of entertainers, check out *Star Flight* by Phyllis Whitney. The abandoned movie set of LOTM's Huron Village is one of the settings for this murder mystery.

: : : I'll see you all in 23,
: : : as we camp below the BIG CHIMNEY!

: : : Di

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: : ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

: : I KNEW it!!  Gnomes DO have a place in Mohicanland history!  Bill will be so pleased to hear this when he returns.

: : As for the ghostly battle in the sky, I'd like to have seen THAT!  Exactly what kind of brew were they drinkin' in Hickory Nut Gorge in those days?  And can we still get some today?

: : I read Star Flight a few years ago and enjoyed it tremendously just because I recognized all the places, and because the Huron Village is featured so prominently at the height of the excitement.  It made it a lot of fun to read.

: : MMMMarcia

: 
: I used to have some of the "little people" turned to stone that they sold in souvenir shops several years ago.  Did they meet the Cherokee equivalent of Medusa?
: Oh!  Here's one on the bookshelf! It's blue and looks like it's yawning with a wizard cap or night cap on its head,  Hmmm.

: -Susan


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