Pisgah National Forest Gate

 

The Pisgah National Forest gate in the 1930s

Many residents recognize old photographs of the gate that once graced the entrance to the Pisgah National Forest. This photo from the 1930s shows how the original gate looked  --a pair of crenulated stone pillars flanking the highway, an arch emblazoned with the forest’s name topped with an eagle with outspread wings. The eagle and castle-like pillars are long gone, though a portion of one stone pillar remains.

It may not be immediately apparent that the stone pillar that still exists today is not part of the original construction. The original gate was constructed and dedicated to the memory of fallen soldiers in 1920 just after World War I and displayed two plaques honoring Transylvania County residents who lost their lives in that war. Native stone and two bronze plaques from the original gate were used to create the second gate, and it was rededicated in a ceremony documented in the August 7, 1941 Transylvania Times. Part of the second gate still remains at the entrance to the Pisgah National Forest on Highway 276, honoring the sacrifice of the enlisted decades later.

Photographs and information for this column are provided by the Rowell Bosse North Carolina Room, Transylvania County Library. This article was written by Local History Librarian Laura Gardner. For more information, comments, or suggestions, contact NC Room staff at ncroom@transylvaniacounty.org or 828-884-1820.