What is a Yurt?

Becky WiseNantahala

“Yurt” is originally from a Turkic word referring to the imprint left in the ground by a moved yurt, and by extension, sometimes a person’s homeland.  The term came to be used in reference to … Read More

Freight and Heritage – Smoky Mountain Railroad

Becky WiseNantahala

The Smoky Mountain Railroad started construction in the late 1800’s after other rail lines reached Asheville, North Carolina.  As you can imagine, building a railroad across the mountains was no easy task.  Luckily, the engineer … Read More

What’s in a Name?

Becky WiseNantahala, White Water Rafting

Did you know that “Nantahala” is of Cherokee origin, meaning Land of the Noonday Sun?  Because the area is a gorge, the sun has a difficult time getting over the mountain range before noon, so … Read More