Please
join us Saturday, November 3, in the Cowee-West’s Mill
Historic District for the annual LTLT Fall Celebration. The
Celebration begins at 11:00 and continues until 4:00 and the
day includes music by the Frog Town 5, kids’ games,
tours of the historic district, and our annual conservation
award presentation. All activities are FREE for the entire
family, and food may be purchased on-site from Big Mountain
BB-Q. Please park at the Cowee Elementary School.
The Franklin-based
Land Trust for the Little Tennessee (LTLT) works to conserve
the waters, forests, farms and heritage of the upper Little
Tennessee and Hiwassee River valleys which includes all of
western North Carolina west of the Balsam Mountains. Beginning
in 1997 LTLT’s first project was the designation to
the National Register of the Cowee-West’s Mill Historic
District along the Little Tennessee River in Macon County.
This area is the largest and richest Historic District in
Western North Carolina, with over 1400 years of manmade structures
and a combined history of Native American, African American,
Revolutionary War, and Appalachian cultures. The collaborative
work with the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians to conserve
the Cowee Mound and surrounding lands was one of the most
significant historic preservation initiatives ever achieved
by a North Carolina land trust.
As the
next step to conserving the cultural landscape of Cowee, LTLT
purchased the T.M. Rickman Store – one of the most beloved
and well known buildings in Cowee. Built in 1895 and operated
as a General Store into the 1990’s, this historic building
anchors the eastern side of the Historic District. LTLT is
working with the community to define the future uses of the
century-old store. Since 1999 LTLT has helped conserve over
10,000 acres of land including 35 miles of Little Tennessee
River frontage, multiple headwater streams in the Balsam,
Cowee and Nantahala Mountains, and a number of family farms
including the largest working farm in NC west of Asheville.
We strive to protect land that is important for its value
as wildlife habitat, productive farmland, recreational area,
scenic beauty, or historic significance. For more information,
contact Kate Parkerson at 524-2711 x203 or kparkerson@ltlt.org.
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