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No words can fully describe the beauty of Cades Cove. The trip on a one-way, 11-mile loop road perfectly combines cultural history with natural beauty; in fact, the 4,000 acre
valley is often referred to as an open-air museum. The Cove was originally settled by John Oliver but derives its name from Cherokee chief Abrams' wife Kate. Over the years,
"Kate's Cove" became "Cades Cove." The valley harbored a thriving community for over a hundred years. In 1850 its population peaked at 685
people. The opening of the western frontier lured many families away from the Cove and by 1860 only 269 people remained. |
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Three of five original churches remain in Cades Cove today. The oldest among them is the Primitive Baptist Church, built in 1827. These churches and the surrounding
cemeteries provide fascinating insight into the lives and times of 19th-century. For instance, the Baptist church was forced to close during the height of the Civil War because
of its Union sympathies. In the cemetery nearby, one headstone reads simply "Bas Shaw -- Killed by Rebels." |
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Halfway along the loop stands John P. Cable's 19th-century farm. Once a self-contained world, today the farm illustrates the daily lives of early settlers. The
farm's centerpiece is the 1868 mill that still grinds corn raised in the Cove, open daily from mid-April through October.
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