Coweta Fayette Real Estate & Newnan Homes for sale blog by Richard Weisser of Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Metro Brokers

There is a little white church in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. It is not easy to find. It requires driving to a remote area of the park and then a two mile hike to get there.

But when one arrives at the Little Cataloochee Church, one is immediately transported to a simpler time that revolved around faith, community, and a deep understanding that life is what it is, and you must work your way through it.

This oasis of tranquility in the middle of nowhere is a testament to those that went before us and that endured the struggle of survival against nature and all odds, and yet took time out to thank their Creator for all that they had.

Horace Kephardt, in “Our Southern Highlanders,” referred to the region as the “Land of Do Without."

So even though our times may be troubled, there is a place of inner peace within us. And although it might take a little soul-searching to get there, once we arrive, our spirit will be refreshed and reinvigorated.

And ready to face anything!

The Great Smoky Mountains National Park enjoys a rich history of prior human habitation within the contemporary park boundaries.

Unlike the first national parks that were established in the West on lands already owned by the United States Government, the Great Smoky Mountains National Park was assembled with the purchase and condemnation of lands owned by private residents and a collection of lumber and mining companies.

Although most of the structures inside the park boundaries were razed at the time the park was created, a select few were allowed to remain as living museums of the historic human heritage of those that lived and worked here prior to the national park establishment.

The photos depicted here are of historic structures currently maintained by the National Park Service in the Cataloochee Valley. At one time, over 1,200 people called this place home.

And they are a testament to those hard working property owners that gave up their land, voluntarily or otherwise, to forever preserve the magnificent beauty of the Great Smoky Mountains!

Photos: Top Right Steve Woody House, bottom: Eldridge Caldwell Barn, Palmer Chapel, Little Cataloochee Church in the Cataloochee Valley,

It's a strange irony that one of the most beautiful areas of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park is also one of the least visited. Although it's a bit out of the way, The Cataloochee Valley rewards visitors with excellent vistas, historic buildings, and abundant wildlife.

Located entirely in the state of North Carolina, settlers came to this place in the early 19^th Century for its seclusion and fertile bottom lands. Many lived their entire lives without ever crossing the divide for a glimpse of the outside world.

Since the inception of the Park in the late 1930's, much of the area was left to return to its natural state.  Only a limited number of historic structures remain, including two churches and a few houses and cabins. It takes several days to explore the entire valley so you might want to stay in the Cataloochee Campground for the complete Smoky Mountain experience!

Photos from top cpurtesy of SmokyPhotos:
Palmer Chapel and Ground, Caldwell Barn with footlog, Base of the Cataloochee Overlook, Bull Elk

All content, including text, original art, photographs and images, is the exclusive property of Coweta Fayette Real Estate, Inc., and may not be used without the expressed written permission of ERA United Realty and Coweta Fayette Real Estate of ERA United Realty Newnan Georgia. All information is believed to be accurate but is not warranted, Copyright 2003-2009. Richard Weisser 770-827-6225.
Learn more about Coweta County and Fayette County Georgia Real Estate, and Lake West Point Lots.

One of my favorite places is the Little Cataloochee Baptist Church in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. It's located on a serene ridge, and features the church, erected in 1889 and the churchyard, which is the final resting place of many former residents of the area.

To get there, you'll have to exert a little effort. It takes some tricky driving along miles of narrow gravel roads to get to the almost invisible trailhead, and from there it is a two mile hike along a broad, maintained trail to the church!

The Great Smoky Mountains National park differs from other National Parks which were created on land already owned by the government. People lived, worked, had babies, farmed, went to church, and died in the Smokies. The park was established by purchasing or condemning property already owned by thousands of title holders.

As a result, there are six churches still within park boundaries, and countless burial grounds dotted throughout. It's a great place for both lovers of natural beauty and aficionados of history!

The next time you are in the Waynesville area of North Carolina, plan a short hike to the Little Cataloochee Church. You won't be disappointed.

Photos Courtesy of Richard Weisser and Smokyphotos.com

All content, including text, original art, photographs and images, is the exclusive property of Coweta Fayette Real Estate, Inc., and may not be used without the expressed written permission of ERA United Realty and Coweta Fayette Real Estate of ERA United Realty Newnan Georgia. All information is believed to be accurate but is not warranted, Copyright 2003-2009. Richard Weisser 770-827-6225.
Learn more about Coweta County and Fayette County Georgia Real Estate, and Lake West Point Lots.

The Great Smoky Mountains is the most visited National Park in the United States. With over eleven million visitors a year, and within a day's drive of half of the countries population, many of the parks more popular areas can become quite crowded.

However, there are some places of unparalleled beauty and historic significance that are far removed from large numbers of Park visitors. One such place is the Cataloochee Valley. Because it requires a little more effort to get there, the Cataloochee Valley is rarely crowded; more than likely, there will be fewer visitors in this large area than in any other place in the park.

It is also here in Cataloochee, that the Park Service reintroduced elk earlier in the decade. Although elk roamed these mountains for hundreds of years, they were extirpated by settlers in the 19^th and early 20^th Centuries. In an effort to return the ecosystem to its historic diversity, the elk have been imported from western parks into the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

The result is a spectacular addition to the plethora of wildlife already in the park. If you arrive in the early morning or stay into the late evening, you may be rewarded by hearing a bull bugling. The sound is indescribable, high pitched and loud, and serves as both a call to his herd and as a warning to would-be interlopers.

Although the black bear used to be the star of the Smokies, the elk are fast replacing there ursine counterparts in popularity! And your chances of seeing elk in Cataloochee is great, as the herds have increased in number over the years.

So if you live in the east, and want to see elk in their natural habitat, come to Cataloochee in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. You will not be disappointed!

Photos courtesy of SmokyPhotos.com

All content, including text, original art, photographs and images, is the exclusive property of Coweta Fayette Real Estate, Inc., and may not be used without the expressed written permission of ERA United Realty and Coweta Fayette Real Estate of ERA United Realty Newnan Georgia. All information is believed to be accurate but is not warranted, Copyright 2003-2008.
Learn more about Coweta County and Fayette County Georgia Real Estate, and Lake West Point Lots.

It's Easter Sunday, 2008. Easter arrived very early this year, and it seems like a lot of us were not quite prepared. I found myself running around at the last minute, getting the ingredients together for Easter dinner. We elected to go non-traditional this year. My mother was Italian, and I make a great homemade sauce, so I am making meatballs, Italian sausage, pasta and a nice salad.

It takes a lot of preparation, so I had to start early in the morning. I lke for the sauce to simmer for at least six hours, so the meat absorbs all of the goodness, so I started early. Once in the pot, it simmers on it's own so I can go about the normal Easter morning activities.

Without getting too preachy, it is, after all, a time for spiritual reflection. When I think of the beauty of creation, I always think about the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. It's only a four hours drive from home, so I visit often, and over the years, I have accumulated thousands of photos. I even have a website, SmokyPhotos, that is dedicated to archiving photos of the park that I have taken.

There is one special place in the parkthat is near and dear to me. It is the Little Cataloochee church, located in the North Carolina portion of the park. It's a little harder to visit than most of the churches withing the park boundaries, because it takes a significant drive followed by a two mile hike to get there.

But once you arrive, you are at a place of total serenity and peace. You are there, usually alone, save for the faithful resting in the burial ground. It is a place of peace, calm, beauty, inspiration and reflection. If you get a chance to visit the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, I suggest you fore-go Cades Cove and make an effort to visit this spiritual place!

I hope you get as much from it as I have!

Richard Weisser, Broker, Associate Broker, Auctioneer, E-Pro, CE Instructor Era United Realty, Newnan Georgia, Coweta Fayette Real Estate, Inc. Serving Coweta, Fayette, Heard, Meriwether, South Fulton, Pike and Spalding Counties 770-827-6225, 770-683-8400 X364, 770-683-8401 (FAX) All content, including text, original art, photographs and images, is the exclusive property of Coweta Fayette Real Estate, Inc., and may not be used without the expressed written permission of Coweta Fayette Real Estate, Inc.  Copyright 2003-2008.