League Invest Blog

During the mid-nineteenth century there were early geographical and geological expeditions in the Smoky Mountains that took place. Thomas Lanier Clingman and Dr. Elisha Mitchell became involved in a scholarly feud over which of the mountains in the Southeast was the highest. Before the issue could be resolved, Mitchell was killed in a fall from the slopes of the mountain named for him. Mount Mitchell turned out to be a mere forty-three feet higher than the peak that was named Clingman’s Dome.  Clingman invited the distinguished Swiss-born physical geographer, Arnold Guyot to come to the mountains and study them. Assisted by a local guide, Guyot, conducted the first detailed surveys of the area that are now inside the park.

This entry was posted on Monday, February 23rd, 2009 at 1:42 pm and is filed under Arts.