Featuring Bob and Jacob Plott’s book—Smoky Mountain Railways –A History of the WNCRR, Murphy Branch and GSMR with Bob and Jacob Plott.

Join us for yet another fun, informative and entertaining afternoon and evening of history, food and music in Part VI of Heritage Book Series, as award winning author and MSMHC GM, Bob Plott, teams with his son, and co-author, Jacob Plott, to discuss their book, Smoky Mountain Railways.

By 1869 railroads connected the United States from coast to coast, yet the Great Smoky Mountains remained commercially remote and inaccessible with no outside railway service until construction began on the WNCRR in Old Fort, N.C. in 1871.

Even then, it would take another 20 years before convict labor finally carved a 128-mile route to Murphy, N.C., thus completely opening the region to commercial and personal expansion that few could comprehend –but all appreciated.

Train service literally transformed the region, but it came at a terrible cost, with literally hundreds of convicts tragically dying in the process. After great early success, the railway line eventually fell into disarray by the 1960s, before later being resurrected as an incredibly successful tourist railway—the GSMR.

The history of this line is a story like no other. It’s a tale filled with tragedy, heroism, blood, sweat, tears, humor and nitroglycerin. Local authors Jacob Morgan Plott and Bob Plott tell the story of a line that refused to die.

The program will be followed by a book signing and delicious BBQ dinner, culminating with acoustic music by Mike Ogletree and friends that evening.

The event is free to motel guests and Heritage Club members—there is an admission charge of ten dollars per person for all others.