74-683: The Sycamore Shoals of the Watauga River , usually shortened to Sycamore Shoals , is a rocky stretch of river rapids along the Watauga River in Elizabethton , Tennessee . Archeological excavations have found Native Americans lived near the shoals since prehistoric times, and Cherokees gathered there. As Europeans began settling the Trans-Appalachian frontier, the shoals proved strategic militarily, as well as shaped
148-486: A basket that is 100 years old can look the same as one that is 500 years old. Cane splits are dyed a variety of colors including black, brown, red, orange, yellow, or purple and woven into intricate geometric designs. Claude Medford Jr., a Choctaw craftsman, taught the techniques of boiling bloodroot with salt for orange dye, using black walnut for brown and black dye, soaking cane along with curly dock for yellow, and adding mussel shells to cane soaking in curly dock to change
222-487: A complex taxonomic history spanning over two centuries. The canes of the southeastern U.S. were originally described as two species of reed grasses in the genus Arundo by Thomas Walter in 1788. André Michaux , working in 1803 and unaware of Walter's work, correctly interpreted the canes as a distinct group and created the genus Arundinaria with one species. However, neither of these researchers left enough information to their successors, leading to confusion surrounding
296-666: A contingent of the Juan Pardo expedition passed through the Nolichucky River valley to the south and attacked a fortified Chisca village (the village was probably located between modern Jonesborough and Erwin ). By the late 17th century, the Mississippian-period inhabitants had largely vanished, and had been replaced by the Cherokee, who used Sycamore Shoals as a gathering place and hunting camp. By
370-824: A few weeks later and attacked the Overhill towns. The following year, the Cherokee signed the Treaty of Long Island , ceding the Sycamore Shoals area to the United States. In 1776, the Washington District sent a petition to the North Carolina Assembly asking to be annexed. In November of that year, North Carolina agreed, and the district was admitted to the state as Washington County. Washington County militiamen, who along with
444-708: A hut at the mouth of Roan Creek (about 20 miles upstream from the Shoals, now part of Watauga Lake ). Early hunters and explorers called the flats around Sycamore Shoals the Watauga "Old Fields," as they were full of cane rather than trees, resembling once-cultivated fields that had for years lain fallow. In the Spring of 1770, James Robertson, possibly fleeing the turmoil created by the Regulator Movement in his home state of North Carolina, made an excursion into
518-446: A new monotypic genus for it: Arundinaria macrosperma Michx. . The name of the genus he used is derived from the same Latin word used by Walter for the plants he described; namely arundo , meaning " reed ". Despite the work done by Walter and Michaux, subsequent researchers had difficulty interpreting their circumscriptions of species boundaries. Walter designated no type specimens , and his Latin protologues that describe
592-547: A self-service public campground below Watauga Dam. Amenities and recreational opportunities at the TVA Watauga Dam Tailwater Campground include 29 camp sites with electric hookups, rest rooms with heated showers and flush toilets, dump station, public phone, picnic tables and grills, canoe access, boat ramps above and below dam, lake and river fishing, hiking trail, walking trail, wildlife viewing area, and birdwatching. The TVA regulates flow of
666-543: Is a genus of bamboo in the grass family the members of which are referred to generally as cane . Arundinaria is the only bamboo native to North America, with a native range from Maryland south to Florida and west to the southern Ohio Valley and Texas . Within this region Arundinaria canes are found from the Coastal Plain to medium elevations in the Appalachian Mountains . Prior to
740-723: Is a large stream of western North Carolina and East Tennessee . It is 78.5 miles (126.3 km) long with its headwaters in Linville Gap to the South Fork Holston River at Boone Lake . The Watauga River rises from a spring located south to the base of Peak Mountain at Linville Gap in Avery County, North Carolina . The spring emanates from the western side of the Tennessee Valley Divide , which is, at this location, congruent with
814-506: Is favored over all other materials for crafting. It can be split into coarser sections for sturdier baskets, or split very thinly for baskets that are delicate and flexible. The smooth, satiny outer surface of the cane stems forms a natural patina when heat or friction is applied to the outer surface. Cane suitable for basket weaving is straight, with the nodes spaced far apart. Cane is processed by splitting cut sections from top to bottom into quarters or eighths, and then carefully peeling off
SECTION 10
#1732780310855888-479: Is formed by the Watauga River. Boone Dam is located below the slack water confluence of both South Fork Holston River and the downstream end (mouth) of the Watauga River. The distance afloat between the TVA Watauga Reservoir and Boone Lake is approximately 20.6 miles (33.2 km). The true origin of the name of the Watauga River is probably lost to antiquity. Most documents agree that the name
962-529: Is now Kentucky and Tennessee would soon be under British control. One such speculator, Richard Henderson (1734–1785), learned from his friend Daniel Boone that the Cherokee were interested in selling a large part of their land on the Trans-Appalachian frontier, and Henderson quickly set up negotiations with Cherokee leaders. Between March 14 and March 17, 1775, Henderson, Boone, and several associates met at Sycamore Shoals with Cherokee leaders Attakullakulla , Oconastota , Willanawaw, Doublehead and Dragging Canoe ,
1036-662: Is of Native American origin, though which nation, tribe or language it descends from, and its meaning, are in question. Early Tennessee historian John Haywood states in his "The Civil and Political History of the State of Tennessee" published in 1823 that the "Watauga signifies the River of Islands, or the Island River. The Holston River was known to the Cherokees by the name of Watauga.". Pre-Civil War maps of Tennessee show that
1110-1053: The Eastern Continental Divide . On the other side of the divide at Linville Gap are the headwaters of the Linville River in the Upper Catawba watershed. Waters of the Linville River eventually reach the Atlantic Ocean, whereas waters of the Watauga River reach the Gulf of Mexico; hence the Eastern Continental Divide. The river then flows across Watauga County, North Carolina , crossing the Tennessee state line (River Mile (RM) 55.1) at Johnson County , then into Carter County, Tennessee and ends at its confluence with
1184-686: The Eastern Woodlands . The Atakapa , Catawba , Muscogee Creek , Chickasaw, Choctaw , Cherokee , and other Southeastern tribes have traditionally used this material for mat and basket weaving , and the Chitimacha and Eastern Band Cherokee still widely weave with rivercane today, though basket makers have started making smaller baskets in order to use less material and preserve the increasingly rare river cane. Bean poles made from dried canes can last for several years if properly stored when not in use. There are several reasons river cane
1258-523: The European colonization of the Americas , cane was an important resource for Indigenous peoples of the Americas . Early European explorers in the U.S. described vast monotypic stands of Arundinaria that were common in river lowlands and covered hundreds of thousands of hectares . In the modern era, Arundinaria canebrakes are small and isolated, but there has been interest in restoring them due to
1332-706: The Holston River 's South Fork (RM 0) on the Washington / Sullivan County border. After crossing into Johnson County, the Watauga River is first impounded by the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) Watauga Dam , creating the 6,430-acre (2,600 ha) Watauga Lake . This impoundment receives two important tributaries: the Elk River and Roan Creek . Watauga Lake is bridged by Tennessee State Route 67 over Butler Memorial Bridge just as
1406-488: The International Code of Botanical Nomenclature in order to clarify older ambiguous types, were designated for Arundo gigantea Walt. and Arundinaria macrosperma Michx. . This allows current and future researchers to know precisely what is being discussed when the scientific names applied to these plants are used. Ethnobotanists consider cane to have been extremely important to Native Americans in
1480-591: The Southeastern Woodlands before European colonisation . The river cane basketry art is at minimum 3000 years old, and can arguably be considered "the most difficult and complex of weaving technologies." The plant was used to make structures, arrow shafts, weapons, torches, fishing equipment, jewelry, baskets, musical instruments, furniture, boats, pipe stems, and medicines. Arundinaria gigantea , or river cane, has historically been used to construct Native American flutes , particularly among tribes of
1554-532: The "Anaconda Rapids" by some North Carolina-based rafting companies) are found downstream between Wilbur Dam and the Siam Bridge, southeast of Elizabethton. For commercial whitewater rafting and kayaking on the Watauga River, the most popular Carter County "put-in" is immediately downstream of the TVA Wilbur Dam, and the most popular "take-out" is 2 to 2½ hours downstream (depending upon the volume of
SECTION 20
#17327803108551628-545: The "Transylvania Purchase" (after Henderson's Transylvania Company, which had raised money for the endeavor), basically consisted of two parts. The first, known as the " Path Grant Deed ", regarded the Transylvania Company's purchase of lands in Southwest Virginia (including parts of what is now West Virginia ) and northeastern Tennessee. The second part, known as the " Great Grant ," acknowledged
1702-482: The 1760s, long hunters such as Julius Dugger and Andrew Greer were operating stations in the Watauga Valley in the vicinity of Sycamore Shoals. In 1769, William Bean , known traditionally as Tennessee's first permanent white settler, built a cabin at the confluence of Boone's Creek and the Watauga, about 15 miles (24 km) downstream from the Shoals. Around the same time, John Honeycut was operating out of
1776-492: The 1770 Treaty of Lochaber . In 1771, however, a survey by John Donelson discovered that the Watauga settlements, along with the nearby Nolichucky settlement and an area east of Long Island of the Holston known as Carter's Valley, were on lands still claimed by the Cherokee. British Superintendent of Indian Affairs John Stuart thus ordered the Watauga settlers to vacate the valley and return to British territory. In 1772,
1850-738: The 1780s and in the Southwest Territory and Tennessee state governments in the 1790s. While later writers such as U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt romanticized the Watauga Association as a microcosm of the American Revolution , modern historians point out that the Wataugans never claimed to be independent of the British Crown, and tried to associate themselves with Virginia. The Carter Mansion,
1924-761: The 20th century, various entities began to acknowledge the importance of Sycamore Shoals in the history of Tennessee and the Trans-Appalachian frontier. In 1909, the Daughters of the American Revolution placed an obelisk , constructed from local river rock and set on a concrete base, at the intersection of West G Street and Monument Place in Elizabethton, one half-mile from the mouth of Gap Creek at Watauga River, where Tennessee historian J. G. M. Ramsey recorded within his Annals of Tennessee as where Fort Watauga had once stood. In 1964, Sycamore Shoals
1998-608: The American Arundinaria bamboos subsequently led to a variety of taxonomic treatments, with some authors arguing that only the North American species should be included, while others included dozens of Asian species otherwise considered members of other genera ( Bashania , Oligostachyum , Sarocalamus , Fargesia , Sasa , etc.). Even African bamboos were placed in Arundinaria under broad concepts for
2072-556: The Appalachian Mountains to cover Cornwallis' invasion of North Carolina. Ferguson sent a message to the frontiersmen in Southwest Virginia and northeast Tennessee, ordering them to give up their arms or face destruction. On September 25, a force of 400 Virginians led by William Campbell, 240 Sullivan Countians led by Isaac Shelby , and 240 Washington Countians led by John Sevier gathered at Sycamore Shoals. After being supplied with food, money, and gunpowder by locals,
2146-568: The Cherokee aligned themselves with the British. The Watauga and Nolichucky settlers organized themselves into the "Washington District" and formed a Committee of Safety , which set out to purchase arms and ammunition. The committee also oversaw the construction of various forts, including Fort Caswell (later called Fort Watauga) at Sycamore Shoals. In July 1776, the Cherokee invaded the Nolichucky, Holston, and Watauga settlements. Although
2220-575: The Cherokee. The following year, the Watauga settlers successfully repelled one arm of a Cherokee group contesting land near Fort Watauga in a struggle that saw the creation of numerous stories surrounding figures such as Nancy Ward and John Sevier . In 1780, at the height of the American Revolutionary War , the frontier militia known as the Overmountain Men mustered at Sycamore Shoals as it prepared to march across
2294-523: The Holston and Southwest Virginia militiamen comprised a frontier militia known as the Overmountain Men , took part in various engagements throughout the war, including the Siege of Charleston (historian Samuel Cole Williams dubbed the siege's Washington County participants the first "volunteers" of Tennessee) and the Battle of Musgrove Mill . In late 1780, Major Patrick Ferguson led an army of loyalists into
Sycamore Shoals - Misplaced Pages Continue
2368-595: The Old Fields with sixteen families in tow. Robertson's settlement, which became known as the Watauga Settlement, grew quickly. The Watauga settlers believed (or claimed to have believed) that they were on lands that were part of the British domain, as the Watauga River is part of the watershed of the Holston River, the latter being established as the boundary between British and Cherokee lands by
2442-528: The Transylvania Company's purchase of some 20,000,000 acres (81,000 km) of land between the Kentucky River and Cumberland River , which included a large portion of modern Kentucky and northern Tennessee. The Transylvania Company paid for the land with 10,000 pounds sterling of trade goods. After the treaty was signed, Boone proceeded northward to blaze the Wilderness Road , connecting
2516-610: The Transylvania Purchase lands with the Holston settlements. The Transylvania Purchase and the accompanying Watauga and Nolichucky purchases violated the Royal Proclamation of 1763 , and the Virginia and North Carolina assemblies rejected their legality. At the outbreak of the American Revolutionary War in the months after the treaty was signed, the settlers aligned themselves with the colonies, whereas
2590-736: The Watauga River area, called the Watauga Association , during the American Revolution . They realized that the British Proclamation of 1763 , forbidding colonial settlement west of the Blue Ridge Mountains in order to protect Native American territories, was essentially unenforceable. Wilbur Dam is the site of first hydroelectric dam constructed in Tennessee (beginning in 1909), going online with power production and distribution in 1912. Wilbur Dam
2664-487: The Watauga River by scheduling the release of deep, impounded reservoir waters from behind both the Watauga Dam and Wilbur Dam. As a result, the summer temperature of the Watauga River is approximately 52–53°F (11–12 °C) downstream of the dams. The Watauga River is generally comfortable for kayaking, canoeing, and rafting during the summer months, but care must be taken to prevent hypothermia by prolonged exposure to
2738-457: The Watauga River. Rainbow trout , brown trout , and striped bass are all caught in the Watauga River. The Watauga River downstream of the TVA dams draws commercial rafting outfitters from both northeast Tennessee and western North Carolina during the summer months and commercial fishing guides throughout the year. The picturesque Class II+ Bee Cliff Rapids on the Watauga River (also referred to
2812-584: The Watauga Valley. He met John Honeycut, who pointed him to the Old Fields. Robertson later described the Old Fields as a "Promised Land" where fertile fields had already been cleared of the dense forest that dominated most lands in the region. Robertson planted crops and built a small cabin and corn crib on the north bank of the confluence to both the Watauga River and the Doe River and then returned to North Carolina to notify family and friends of his discovery. In late 1770 or early 1771, Robertson returned to
2886-413: The Watauga settlers established the Watauga Association , one of the first constitutional governments west of the Appalachian Mountains and the "germ-cell" of what would later become the state of Tennessee. In 1775, Richard Henderson and Daniel Boone negotiated the Treaty of Sycamore Shoals, in which Henderson's Transylvania Company purchased a large part of modern Kentucky and part of Tennessee from
2960-502: The Watauga settlers, hoping to keep control of the land they had been developing, sent James Robertson and James Bean to Chota , where they negotiated a 10-year lease for the lands in the Watauga Valley. Being outside the authority of the Virginia and North Carolina colonial governments, the settlers lacked any official means of dealing with criminals and carrying out basic government functions, such as registering land deeds. Thus, in May 1772,
3034-592: The accompanying state park that would interpret it and maintain the shoals. Sycamore Shoals State Historic Park opened in 1975. In 1980, the U.S. Congress appropriated funds for the creation of the Overmountain Victory National Historic Trail , which connects Sycamore Shoals with Kings Mountain National Military Park . Today, Sycamore Shoals State Historic Park hosts various annual reenactments regarding
Sycamore Shoals - Misplaced Pages Continue
3108-547: The cold river water. As TVA also guarantees a minimum release schedule during the summer season for riverine recreation below Wilbur Dam, the Watauga River will draw commercial whitewater rafting companies from distant rivers—such as the Nolichucky River running through Erwin, Tennessee in Unicoi County —when lack of adequate summer rain fall will not allow for rafting trips on these naturally flowing rivers during seasonal droughts . Arundinaria Arundinaria
3182-415: The colony usually dies afterwards, possibly because the dense thickets of a mature canebrake would otherwise prevent seedling establishment. Only two flowering events are known for A. appalachiana. A colony of cane will expand rapidly using asexual reproduction following disturbances, particularly fire, which triggers new shoots to immediately sprout from the underground rhizomes after the above-ground part of
3256-413: The color to red. Plaiting and twilling are the two basic weaving techniques utilized in river cane baskets, and from there many variations exist, including double-woven baskets. Different tribes of Native Americans, and often specific families, had their own unique designs and techniques, which spread around through trade. The Chitimacha and Catawba split the cane into very narrow splits and weave them with
3330-569: The common cereals. Ergot-infected plants will have pink or purplish blotches or growths about the size of a seed or several times larger. Medicinally, the Choctaw use the roots for their painkilling properties. The organization Revitalization of Traditional Cherokee Artisan Resources, using funding from the Cherokee Preservation Foundation , has helped establish restoration sites for Arundinaria gigantea . In 2022,
3404-623: The cultural and ecological importance of the plant. Canebrakes provided land for crops, habitat for wild game, and year-round forage for livestock. The cane itself was used for construction, weapons, jewelry, medicines, fuel, and food. Canebrakes declined significantly after colonization due to clearing, farming and fire suppression. Arundinaria species have running rhizomes and have slender, woody culms that reach heights from 0.5 to 8 metres (1.6 to 26.2 ft). Arundinaria produce seeds only rarely and usually reproduce vegetatively, forming large clonal genets . When seed production does occur,
3478-475: The economies of Tennessee and Kentucky . Today, the shoals are protected as a National Historic Landmark and are maintained as part of Sycamore Shoals State Historic Park . Explorer James Robertson (later a founder of Nashville ) identified the alluring flatlands at Sycamore Shoals, known as the Watauga Old Fields, in 1770, and led a group of colonists to the area shortly thereafter. In 1772,
3552-663: The force marched across the Appalachian Mountains, linking up with several North Carolina and South Carolina militias along the way. On October 7, the Overmountain Men engaged and defeated Ferguson's loyalists at the Battle of Kings Mountain. The Overmountain Men suffered less than 100 casualties while killing 157 in the loyalist force (including Ferguson), wounding 163, and capturing another 698. The victory forced Cornwallis to temporarily abandon his invasion of North Carolina. In
3626-542: The genus to two species. By the late 20th century, Floyd Alonzo McClure's 1973 survey of Arundinaria was also considered authoritative, and included only one species, Arundinaria gigantea . Most recently, in 2006 researchers from Iowa State University and the University of North Carolina recognised and described a third species, Arundinaria appalachiana Triplett, Weakley & L.G. Clark . The plants that form this species were previously thought to form part of
3700-516: The group. Some outdated systems during this era assigned Arundinaria more than 400 species. A. S. Hitchcock 's review of the taxonomic state of the North American bamboos was first published in 1935 as part of the Manual of the Grasses of the United States . He interpreted Michaux's Arundinaria macrosperma Michx. as a synonym of Walter's Arundinaria gigantea (Walt.) Muhl. , reducing
3774-493: The identity of the species they had described. A decade later in 1813, G.H.E. Muhlenberg noticed the affinities between the two previous authors' work and transferred Walter's two species to Michaux's new genus, yielding a combinatio nova for each, namely Arundinaria gigantea (Walt.) Muhl. and Arundinaria tecta (Walt.) Muhl. . Muhlenberg considered the genus to consist of these two species in addition to Arundinaria macrosperma Michx. . The phenotypic diversity of
SECTION 50
#17327803108553848-399: The invasion by Nancy Ward. Ward also used her powers as a Cherokee Beloved Woman to spare the life of Lydia Russell Bean (wife of early settler William Bean), who had been captured during the invasion and had been sentenced to be burned at the stake. The Cherokee laid siege to Fort Watauga for about two weeks before retreating. A relief force led by William Christian arrived at Fort Watauga
3922-510: The latter of whom sought unsuccessfully to reject Henderson's purchase of tribal lands outside the Donelson line, and departed the conference vowing to turn the lands "dark and bloody" if settlers attempted to settle upon them. The rest of the negotiations went fairly smoothly, however, and the Treaty of Sycamore Shoals was signed on March 17, 1775. At the same conference, the Watauga and Nolichucky settlers negotiated similar purchases for their lands. The Treaty of Sycamore Shoals, sometimes called
3996-441: The mountains en route to victory over British loyalists at the Battle of Kings Mountain . The Sycamore Shoals is located at just over 23 miles (37 km) upstream from the mouth of the Watauga River, and approximately 3 miles (4.8 km) downstream from the river's confluence with the Doe River and 11 miles (18 km) downstream from Wilbur Dam . While managed by the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation ,
4070-541: The name means "beautiful river" or "beautiful water". There were at least two Native American villages so named, including one at present-day Elizabethton, which became known as "Watauga Old Fields", referring to former Native American residents. It was first explored by Daniel Boone and James Robertson in 1759. A historic Cherokee town known as Watauga was located along the Little Tennessee River near present-day Franklin, North Carolina , in their homelands. The original settlers of Nashville, Tennessee , set out west from
4144-416: The natural genetic diversity of Arundinaria gigantea (Walt.) Muhl. , but upon in depth analysis using modern phylogenetic methods based on morphology and amplified fragment length polymorphisms , the researchers determined that the canes form three species. Phylogenetic studies in 2006 using molecular and morphological evidence have suggested that the genus forms three natural species confined to
4218-429: The oldest frame house standing in Tennessee, may be the only surviving material link to the Watauga Association . Listed on the National Register of Historic Places , the mansion was built between 1775 and 1780 by John Carter and his son Landon. John and Landon Carter were both prominent in political and military affairs, serving during the American Revolution and several conflicts with Native Americans . When Tennessee
4292-439: The original Choctaw names for patterns used in basketry, which had to be planned using mathematics because they were so sophisticated. Many traditional patterns themselves, however, still survive. Food uses include flour, cereal, and even "asparagus" of young shoots; however, caution should be used whenever foraging for cane seeds, as the extremely toxic fungus ergot ( Claviceps spp.) can colonize its seeds as well as those of
4366-424: The plant has burned. These shoots grow quickly, up to 1.5 inches per day. Among the distinctive features of the canes is a fan-like cluster of leaves at the top of new stems called a topknot, so-called because of its resemblance to topknot hairstyles . There are four species of Arundinaria accepted by the World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP) as of January 2024, listed below. The genus Arundinaria has
4440-763: The reservoir release and other factors) at the Blackbottom riverside portion of the city linear trail park in Elizabethton. The distance afloat for paddlers from the put-in at Wilbur Dam to the Blackbottom take-out is approximately seven miles, with landmarks along the Watauga River providing a good estimate of time and distance traveled. The Watauga River also has a section of Class IV-V whitewater popular with expert kayakers, upstream of Watauga Lake in North Carolina. This section requires significant rainfall to bring it up to runnable levels. It features continuous steep boulder bed rapids dropping up to 150 feet per mile (28 m/km), and several falls and ledges only runnable by expert paddlers. The Tennessee Valley Authority maintains
4514-443: The river designated as the Holston River extended west of Knoxville, meeting with the Clinch River near Kingston and well past the present-day beginning of the Tennessee River (east of Knoxville) at the confluence of both the Holston River and the French Broad River . A North Carolina State University web page (the Watauga Medal) says the word "Watauga" is a Native-American word meaning "the land beyond". Local references say
SECTION 60
#17327803108554588-430: The settlers drafted the Articles of the Watauga Association — one of the first written constitutions west of the Appalachian Mountains . The Watauga Association consisted of a five-man court that held sessions in a courthouse at Sycamore Shoals. The Association is often considered the root of state government in Tennessee, especially since many Wataugans went on to play prominent roles in the failed State of Franklin in
4662-402: The settlers were chased out of Carter's Valley and the Nolichucky valley, the Holston settlers managed to thwart Dragging Canoe at the Battle of Island Flats (at modern Kingsport ) on July 20. The following day, a Cherokee contingent led by Old Abraham of Chilhowee reached Fort Watauga. The Wataugans, led by John Carter, James Robertson, and John Sevier, were well-prepared, having been warned of
4736-455: The shoals are located within the municipal boundaries of Elizabethton. Beyond the shoals, the Watauga flows for another 8 miles (13 km) before entering its Boone Lake impoundment. Excavations in the flats around Sycamore Shoals have uncovered evidence of significant habitation dating back to the Woodland period (ca. 1000 B.C. – 1000 A.D.) and continuing sporadically through much of the Mississippian period (ca. 900–1600 A.D.). In 1567,
4810-475: The siege of Fort Watauga and the mustering of the Overmountain Men. A walking trail follows the south bank of the Watauga, allowing easy access to the Sycamore Shoals, with various interpretive signs explaining the various historical events along the way. In recent years, the relatively low waters along the shoals (which are easy to wade across) have become a popular spot for fly fishing . Watauga River The Watauga River ( / w ə ˈ t ɔː ɡ ə / )
4884-400: The smooth outer layer in a single long piece, scraping off any excess material from the inner surface until the splits are thin and flexible enough to be easily wrapped around the artisan's finger. The splits are soaked in water to keep them flexible and woven wet. Undyed cane baskets change from green, to cream, to finally yellow as they age. After this, the color of the cane does not change and
4958-400: The smooth side inward, whereas the Choctaw weave with wider splits and face the smooth side outward. When Native Americans were forced into lands different than their homelands, many techniques became lost, and new techniques had to be found for dyeing and crafting. Other new techniques were adopted to be marketable to European settlers for trading. One example of knowledge that has been lost is
5032-473: The southeastern United States. Two of the three species currently placed in the genus, Arundinaria gigantea and Arundinaria tecta , were first described scientifically by Thomas Walter in his 1788 Flora Caroliniana . Walter placed them in the grass genus Arundo . In 1803, the French botanist André Michaux , unaware of the flora prepared by Walter, also published a description of the canes he encountered. Michaux recognised only one species, but created
5106-411: The species are vague, including features that could be any of the three species currently recognized. Michaux did designate a type specimen for the species he described, but it does not include enough of the plant to determine with confidence which species it represents, while his protologues were likewise not detailed enough to avoid ambiguity. In 2009, epitypes , a new form of botanical type allowed by
5180-419: The summer months. Below Wilbur Dam the river flows generally north and then west into Carter County where it forms the northern limits of Elizabethton , where the Watauga then receives the Doe River . Farther downstream on the Watauga River at the boundary between Carter County and Washington County is the old TVA Watauga Steam Plant. A portion of the boundary line between Washington County and Sullivan County
5254-400: The watercourse enters Carter County. The Appalachian Trail crosses the river on Watauga Dam. Nearly 3 miles below Watauga Dam, on the Horseshoe section of the Watauga River, is the TVA Wilbur Dam , which forms a much smaller but very deep reservoir known as Wilbur Lake. TVA releases approximately 130 cubic feet per second (3.7 m /s) of discharged water back into the Watauga River during
5328-668: Was admitted into the United States in 1796, Carter County was named for Landon Carter, and the county seat of Elizabethton was named for his wife, Elizabeth Maclin Carter. The finely detailed interior and over-mantle paintings place the mansion among the most significant historic houses in Tennessee. The defeat of the Shawnee in Lord Dunmore's War in 1774 emboldened land speculators in North Carolina, who believed much of what
5402-630: Was constructed on the Watauga River by the former Tennessee Electric Power Company, a privately owned utility purchased by the TVA in the late 1930s. Elizabethton acquired the moniker "City of Power" because of its early access to hydro-generated electricity from Wilbur Dam. The Watauga river is home to the endangered green floater mussel ( Lasmigona subviridis ). The river is also a breeding site for eastern hellbenders (Cryptobranchus alleganiensis alleganiensis). Whitewater rafting , kayaking , canoeing , fly fishing , and angling with fishing reels are all popular recreation activities pursued on
5476-563: Was designated a National Historic Landmark , and it was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1966. As part of the United States Bicentennial celebrations, the state of Tennessee decided to reconstruct Fort Watauga. The state purchased Sycamore Shoals, a small island within the shoals, and an undeveloped stretch of land along the south bank of the Watauga River for the reconstructed fort and
#854145