A History of Mt. Mitchell and the Black Mountains

Exploration, Development, and Preservation

By S. Kent Schwarzkopf

A History of Mt. Mitchell and the Black Mountains

Approx. 132 pp., 6 x 9, 52 halftones, 52 halftones

  • Paperback ISBN: 978-0-8652-6218-8
    Published: January 1985

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Distributed for the North Carolina Office of Archives and History

The Black Mountain range of the Appalachians is the highest mountain range in the eastern United States and has a diverse ecology with plants and animals usually found much further north. Heavily deforested in the late nineteenth century, the range was the site of the nation's first natural resources preservation movement in the early 20th century. Subjects discussed include intitial habitations by scientist Elisha Mitchell's exploration of the range, developing tourism in the 1850s, the Clingman-Mitchell highest peak controversy, and geographic explorations of Arnold Guyot, exploitation and preservation at the turn of the 20th century, and the return of tourism.

About the Author

S. Kent Schwarzkopf is a natural resources specialist for the Appalachian Trail Park Office of the National Park Service. He earned two M.A. degrees (history and geography) from Oregon State University.
For more information about S. Kent Schwarzkopf, visit the Author Page.