The Little Tennessee River was dammed in 1943 to generate war-time electricity thereby, creating Fontana Lake in Swain County. NC, the southern boundary of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park .

On July 30, 1943 the Department of the Interior (DOl), the Tennessee Valley Authority, Swain County, and the state of North Carolina entered into a memorandum of understanding containing a provision requiring DOl to replace submerged NC Highway 228.

We all how the story about the 1943 agreement how the Federal Government promise the citizen of Swain County a road as soon as the war was over and when funds were made available, by Congress this is true but let me tell you the rest of the story.

Historical, grief, and trauma loss of:

Land----6000 people removed from the North Shore , 44,170 acres lost.

Language----Our Heritage.

Identity----The National Park attempted to erase our very existence.

Culture----The way we lived.

Spiritual Belief----Trust.

Family Values----Park Service moved family away and attempted to erase family roots.

On Nov: 15 1949 President H.S. Truman approved the transfer of 44,170 acres. This was in keeping with an agreement between T.V.A. State of North Carolina , Swain County and the National Park Service dated July 30, 1943.

In a letter from U.S. Department of Interior (N.P.S.) in 1942 said the Deals Gap Bryson City section is a important link in the around the park road and is part of the master plan for the development of the Smoky Mountain National Park.

Memorandum for the director Newton Drury September 15, 1942 U.S. Department of the Interior the addition of the Park Road would be of considerable help to Fire Protection Superintendent of the Park.

U.S. Department of Interior 10-5-42, the Deal Gap Bryson City section is an important link in the round the Park Road and is part of the Great Smoky Mountain National Park. The National Park will agree to use all diligent efforts after the war to secure funds and Authority from Congress to build a Park Road and will agree that this Road will be one of the earliest Park project.

U.S. Department of Interior 1942, from the Director of the National Park. I visited the Fontana Dam site my conclusion are as follow the land offered by T.V.A. is within the old "carnmerer" line of the Park the lake with its shore line would be an attractive addition to the Park Road.

In 1953 Congress appropriated $392,800.00 for the commencement of the Park Road. In 1959 Congress appropriated $725,000.00 this money was appropriated by Congress then frozen for a while by the Park Service then diverted to other National Park. This action was taken even though this Road was assigned #1 priority as late as 1954 by the Park Service.

In 1945 Judge Yates Webb in Federal District Court has held that the T.V.A. has no legal authority to condemn land for the T.V.A. addition to the Park. I say we the people of Swain County still lost.

At one time there was 600 family and over 6000 people who lived on the North Shore of the Tenn. River known as the North Shore. Over half of Swain County tax was lost, over half of Swain County population and half of Swain County Job lost, because of this project by T.V.A. and Park Service.