A careful reading of the 1943 Agreement shows that NC 288 was, at that time, the only direct route from Bryson City to Deals Gap, and thence to Maryville, TN. NC 288 was so primitive that most travelers to Maryville went around by NC 107 (now US 441) through Gatlinburg. The primary purpose of NC 288 was to provide a transportation link. NC 28, which was constructed much later and on a location where there was no pre-existing road, now provides the transportation link contemplated by the 1943 Agreement.

Nothing I have read guarantees roads to the individual cemeteries, only just a road.

Because those people that have relatives buried there had the chance back in the 40s to move the cemetery and the Government would pay for it. They said, “no, leave it”, so the government furnishes them a special boat to go and visit anytime they want. They have reneged on the deal, not the government, for once I take up for the government and the American taxpayers.

The only thing that you can rely on is a written contract, and you better read the fine print. And there is no fine print that says the government is going to build you a road.

The document notes “Many residents in pursuit of increased vehicular access have stated that they would view selection of the Monetary Settlement Alternative as not settling the 1943 Agreement.” I submit that this statement also holds for many non-resident visitors to GSMNP. As noted in my discussion of the Summary, the premise that the Monetary Settlement is even a “practicable alternate” is wrong, because it appears to meet none of the original objectives of the 1943 agreement. This alternate does not replace any of the functions of the flooded NC 288.

Another remark that kept popping into my head on my long trip home was, “Do you think you are the only ones that the government that has let down and the last ones that this will happen to?” This was an agreement 60-some years ago. So I went home, got my dictionary down and looked up two words: agreement and contract. What is an agreement? Harmony of opinion or action, an exchange of promises, mutual understanding or management; the language or a writing of which mutual promises. What is a contract? A legal agreement between two more people to do or not to do something. So with this said, this was a 1943 Agreement. The families are not saying the government will or will not let them down, but they are believing in the word of the government and hoping to see the road be completed as promised

I myself hope and pray amongst the deliberations, and what I believe is to be very good, well thought out process by the NPS, that the issue of the fact that a road was promised, and that promise was not honored, that those who are for realize the reality of the world we live in today, take that in account the uses of the area currently, how it could be used, and the future of my own grandchildren. To the environmentalists, yes it is your park too, but there is a bone-deep longing for closure of the issue of the premise, why not make it a “win-win” situation, it's not about just Swain County getting money, please include something, to remember those families who forged a way of life for their families, built a community, trusted our government, moved on, never said much, or chose to be quite verbal, but to no avail, and now a dying breed. Someone needs to make sure that is touched upon. Altruistic, it may be, ignorant Hillbilly, I don't think so. Please don't forget these families, it may not turn out that building the road alone is the best answer, there are options of a partial-build. I feel that a reasonable solution is out there.

I sincerely feel for those who would like easy access to the cemeteries, but I believe in many cases, considering the generous help currently provided by the park service, access is easier now than it would be after construction of such a destructive road.

The majority of the people insisting on a road today are too far removed from the original, personal involvement to be credible.

Someone says, “Why is Graham County involved in this process at all?” Well, fortunately, there were a lot of residents of Graham County that was displaced by the project that has occurred for the dam, as were the people of Swain County .

The first one has to do with the idea of just compensation that we get from the Constitution. And simply stated, it would be if my grandfather owed your grandfather ten dollars in 1943 and today I said in 15 or 20 or 30 years, I am going to pay you that $10, that does not even the score. The timeline, the time factor is not part of determining the compensation. I'm not talking about breach of contract; I'm talking about the Constitution.

The 1943 contract says you either keep your contract or rescind it. There's been colleges from three different states studying the mineral content on the north side of Fontana Lake . It's the richest mineral content of any area east of the Mississippi River . If you don't want to keep the contract and build a road, I agree with another speaker or two here, rescind that contract.

The 1943 agreement was crafted in a time of world war. The few Swain Countians railing against this project should take that into consideration as they clamor for this massive project.