1940s
There were a number of other roads leading to and from the original Skyway. These also fell by the wayside as the larger project was halted. This was probably for the best as it has preserved the remoteness of the Great Smoky Mountains. One of the cancelled projects was a road along the north shore of Fontana Lake. The formation of the lake by the construction of Fontana Dam in the early 1940s had isolated some of the graveyards of the now abandoned towns. The Federal Government had promised dislocated locals that access would be provided to these remote areas. Only a few miles of roadway and one tunnel heading west out of Bryson City were completed. This became known as "the Road to Nowhere" and resulted in a monetary settlement to Swain County where the road had been planned.
The Great Smoky Mountains National Park was dedicated by President Roosevelt on Monday September 2, 1940. An estimated 17,000 people gathered at Newfound Gap to witness the ceremony. Also in attendance were Governor Clyde R. Hoey of North Carolina, Governor Prentice Cooper of Tennessee, and a number of U. S. senators and dignitaries.
In 1940 J. J. Myers, Tax Assessor for Blount County, Tennessee claimed to have been the first to drive many of the Smoky Mountain roads. He claimed that when he worked for the Little River Lumber Company to have driven his old Model T through New Found Gap and then down the old road on the North Carolina side. He also was the first to make the trip through Deals Gap before the road was built to Tapoco.
In November of 1941 the Great Smoky Mountains National Park was making plans to construct "a new automobile camp ground" on US 129, 3.1 miles from Deal's Gap at the junction of the old road which formerly led to Dalton Gap at the mouth of Bunny Branch. The camp was to extend more than half a mile uphill and eastwards towards Dalton Gap. This location today is known as Toll Booth. Construction was scheduled to begin in January of 1942, but the events of World War Two in December 1941 ended the project. ACT Nov 5, 1941
The War Years
In February 1942 the House Public Lands Committee approved plans for a Scenic parkway skirting the Great Smoky Mountains in Tennessee. Congress would still need passage of the bill before lands could be acquired. The parkway would run from near Cosby to near Chilhowee on the Deal's Gap highway and be constructed very similar to the Blue Ridge Parkway. Construction was not likely to begin until after the war.
In February 1943 Sheriff Frank Hyatt with assistance of North Carolina Highway Patrol and US Alcohol Tax officers arrested four men living at Deal's Gap for possessing 286 pints of whiskey for sale. Those arrested included George Spurling, his wife Elsie Spurling, Wayne Holloway, and Allen Acree.
Willie Prince of Deal's Gap was arrested in March of 1943 for the fatal shooting of Clarence Cable, 18. Prince admitted to the shooting, but claimed it was in self defense. Both men were drinking at the time. The three day case took the jury 15 minutes to decide on second degree murder for Prince. The court sentenced him to 20-25 years.
A major step toward completing the vision pioneer advocates had of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park took place in 1943. The State of North Carolina added 44,000 acres that was located along the north shore of Fontana Lake from Fontana Dam to Bryson City. This addition brought the total area of the park to more than 500,000 acres. One part of the agreement would have long term effects on many people in the area and especially Swain County. The Department of the Interior agreed to include in the plan an "around the park" road that would allow access to many of the old cemeteries located on the north side of the lake that had been isolated by the flooding of Fontana Lake. This issue would become a legal fight for the next 70 years when the road still had not been constructed as promised. The pavement ended just a few miles west of Bryson City on what would become known as "The Road to Nowhere".
Construction of the Fontana Dam was well underway by March 1943. An article detailing life of the 7,000 workers appeared in the March 14, 1943 Knoxville News-Sentinel. One complaint at the time was that the nearest beer sales was at Deals Gap 14 miles distant.
The Smoky Mountain Stage Lines, Inc. began bus trips from Maryville to Fontana in April 1943. Two round trips daily were planned.
The Town of Fontana Village, which was formed as a workers town during construction of Fontana Dam, observed community pride week in August 1943. About 3000 people lived in the TVA "war town" during the war effort to build the highest dam east of the Rockies. An ACT article dated August 6, 1943 described the various living quarters as "permanent houses, temporary houses, demountable houses, trailer houses, TVA trailers, and private trailers".
In February 1944 President Franklin D. Roosevelt approved plans to construct a 65-75 mile scenic parkway with "an appropriate view of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park" from the Tennessee side. This parkway would link Cosby in Cocke County to Chilhowee on the Deal's Gap Highway. The proposed roadway would run generally parallel to the park boundary. His plan would still only be partially completed some 55 years later. ACT Feb 24, 1944.
In July 1945 the United States Circuit Court of Appeals upheld a lower court's decision to deny the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) the right to condemn some 6,000 acres of the recently acquired 44,000 acres for the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The court found that there was no purpose or use connected with the building or maintenance of the Fontana project. The judge offered an easy solution suggesting that the state of North Carolina condemn the property and then turn it over to the National Park Service.
After the War
The United States Supreme Court heard the appeal filed by TVA and reversed the lower court's decision in March of 1946. This ruling allowed TVA to proceed with acquisition of the entire 40,000 acres to become part of the national park. A contract signed jointly with TVA, the park service, North Carolina and Swain County provided the state of North Carolina the right to build a "high grade highway" from western boundary of the park to Bryson City. Funding would be sought from congress.
An article in the July 28, 1945 Philadelphia Inquirer, page 49, announced that the United States Government was looking to sell the Town of Fontana Village along with 1300 acres of forest land. At the height of Fontana Dam construction there were more than 5000 persons living in the town and nearby camp. At completion there will be a need to house about 50 TVA employees and their families. The article stated that "Several inquiries have been made regarding its availability as a resort or recreational center".
The War affected many aspects of civilian life in the United States. Dutch Roth of the Smoky Mountain Hiking Club attempted to hike 36 miles of the Appalachian Trail from Wesser to Deals Gap in October 1945. Roth reported much of the trail impassable due to three years growth of briars and locust. Work on the trail had been halted due to war rationing of fuel restricting automobile traffic to the area.
In June 1946 President Truman announced that the Fontana Dam property would be leased to Government Services, Inc., a non-profit organization that has previously operated cafeterias and recreational facilities near Washington, D.C. General manager F. W. Hoover of the non-profit group stated there would be vacation accommodations, restaurants, shopping facilities boating, fishing and horseback riding. The new resort would open for tourism in the summer of 1946.
Two occupants of a car were killed when their vehicle left the roadway and crashed into Cheoah Lake of Tuesday July 22, 1947. The car was almost completely submerged in 10-12 feet of water. Both of the deceased men had been employed by Tennessee Valley Authority, but had been terminated the day of the accident.
Another whiskey raid was conducted near Deal's Gap in late December 1947. Clyde Walker was arrested with four gallons of non-tax paid whiskey and 26 pints of tax-paid liquor.
A massive winter storm passed through the Smokies on Saturday January 24, 1948. Area roads were reported icy and dangerous. The National Trailways bus company cancelled routes through Newfound Gap and Deals Gap for two days.