Visiting Mountain City
Mountain City, Tennessee, is my hometown. I have lived in this small town located in East Tennessee all my life. It has many attractions, shopping places, and great places to eat. Most people don’t realize what the town has to offer--everything from shopping in the downtown area to relaxing in one of the numerous parks. There are also several creeks and camping facilities for the outdoor man. This makes Mountain City a great place to go and forget about all your troubles.
Mountain City was established in 1885; the town was first called Talyorsville. The town has grown tremendously since its establishment. Located about 45 miles from Johnson City, it’s a perfect place to visit for a day. The drive is only about an hour from E.T.S.U. Mountain City is also located about 30 miles from Boone, North Carolina, where skiing’s a major attraction.
Since I have lived in Mountain City all my life, in my opinion, the fall season is the best time to go. The trees all around are full of color. This time of year is a perfect time to hike on one of the various trails, which will lead you deep into the Appalachian Mountains. Some of the trails lead to spectacular views of the town. The Deer Run Trail is a wonderful trail to hike in order to view the small town. The trail is about a mile long and very challenging. During the fall season, the weather seems warm during the day and cool throughout the night. I’d suggest taking some short sleeve shirts for the day and some long sleeved shirts for the chilly nights.
If the outdoors does not interest you, then Mountain City offers several stores to shop at. Downtown Mountain City is packed full of little stores filled with all kinds of treasures. There’s a variety of stores and wide selection of items to choose from. Some stores located in the downtown area are the City Shoe Store, Cornet Furniture, Auto Zone, Downtown Antiques, Hidden Treasures Antiques, and for the young people, Corner Pocket Arcade. The downtown area is not the only place to shop. I learned from my visit that there is a Dollar Store, Family Dollar, Tumbleweed Western Wear, Family Book and Card, and a Stanley Knitting Mill Outlet store. Some of my favorite places to shop are the little booths set up along side of the road, that feature crafts and different selections of souvenirs.
After unloading your luggage consider going down to the Peddler. The Peddler might be able to satisfy your wants and desires. The Peddler carries everything for fresh fish, to mouthwatering chicken and even marinated steaks. The Peddler is a classy restaurant so dress accordingly. Expect the cost for the meal to be a bit on the "pricey" side. The Peddler is located on the corner where River Road intersects with Ski Mountain Road.
Gatlinburg, a town in the Smoky Mountains, is rich with things to do. The city offers a variety of restaurants, lodging, entertainment, and marriage facilities. Gatlinburg is a nice city to visit although it can cost quite a bit of money. This has become a common place of visit for East Tennessee State University students and others.
Before we ponder in the exquisite Appalachian cultural practices and beliefs, let us know more about its geographic region. “Appalachia is a 205,000-square-mile region that follows the spine of the Appalachian Mountains from southern New York to northern Mississippi. It includes all of West Virginia and parts of 12 other states: Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky, Maryland, Mississippi, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia” (The Appalachian Region paragraph 1) . Appalachia is the name of a Spanish empire that was drilling for gold and plunders (Williams 19). It is considered the second largest mountains of North America (Brescia 40). The Appalachian towns that include the mines have its own fascinating history. Appalachia is a place that you can visit in all seasons and each season has its unique spirit and mood. So, if you are seeking spring break, it would be a brilliant idea to visit the holy Appalachian Mountains to enjoy some refreshing outdoor entertainment and relaxation activities such as, fishing or eve...
Rasmussen, Kent. Mark Twain A to Z: The Essential Reference to his life and Writings. New York: Facts on File, Inc., 1995.
As a former Miss Phenix City’s Outstanding Teen 2011 and someone who has lived here my entire life, I have an indescribable love for Phenix City. From the educational opportunities and events, to the resemblance of the fictional town, Mayberry, these many reasons make this town so special. Phenix City isn’t just an ordinary town. This description expresses my reasons that make a small, normal city into a place that I proudly call my hometown.
Bellamy, G. C. Mark Twain as a Literary Artist. University of Oklahoma Press, 10-Sep-2012. 440 Pages.
Gatlinburg, Tennessee is located in Sevier County, situated on the northern edge of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The city has gotten the suitable nickname “Gateway to the Smokey Mountains” due to the fact that it sits at one of the two main entrances to the park serviced by one main road through the park. Today, Gatlinburg is seen as a scenic, romantic, getaway that is also bustling with tourism and even an amusement park; however, this was not always the case.
Marshall, Donald G. "Twain, Mark." World Book Advanced. World Book, 2013. Web. 17 Nov. 2013.
The 205-thousand-square-mile Appalachian Mountain range, which spans from Eastern Canada to northern Alabama, boasts North America’s oldest mountains (formed approximately 400 million years ago), the highest peak of the eastern United States (Mount Mitchell), industrial production opportunities and leisurely recreation. The range includes the Blue Ridge Mountains and the Great Smoky mountains (NCSU, n.d.). A range of recreational activities such as fishing in freshwater streams, camping, biking the Blue Ridge Parkway, skiing and hiking are available in the region. One popular hiking location is the 2,184-mile Appalachian Natural Scenic Trail, which is the longest walking trail in the eastern United States (United States. National Park Service, 2014). Its rich natural capital offers a plethora of resources, allowing production to range from small-scale agricultural establishments to larger industrial outputs of metal and timber. Approximately 80 percent of land has been used for the coal and logging industry since the 90’s (Little, 1995). Though the commercial utilization of the mountains has boosted the economy of Appalachian towns and cities, it has also degraded the range aesthetically and commercially.
To get an idea of what the Appalachian Trail looks like it is important to understand its description. The trail spans from Springer Mountain in Georgia to Mount Katahdin in Northern Maine
The city gives its visitors a wide variety of shopping options from the antique and thrift shops of the Old City to the West Town Mall and ritzy plazas of West Knoxville. The antique shops of the Old City prove to be a hot spot for the frugal tourist. Downtown K-Town is a popular antique shop located in the Old City that is best known for opening up on selected weekends with everything in the store on sale for half price. There are also a few thrift shops around the Old City, such as Frenchys’ Hip Hop, that provide the low-budget shopper with a mixture of second hand clothing and trendy new material.
Downtown has its own kind of stores. Now these stores you won’t find at a mall and only downtown has them. I love exploring each and every one of the stores. On one store they may be selling colorful figurines and a collection of vivid detail blankets and the store next to it may be selling clothes or electronics from blenders to HD televisions. One of the many reasons I like to go into the stores is to glance at the way they’re decorated. It’s just amazing
"Ramsey Cascades, Ramsey Cascades Trailhead, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, North Carolina." ProTrails. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 Feb. 2014
PBS. “Mark Twain: Chronology” R. Kent Rasmussen’s Mark Twain A to Z. Web. 09 May 2014. .
Cecil Rhodes created De Beers, which became the owner of most of the diamond mines in South Africa. De Beers Consolidated Mines Ltd., was formed in 1888. This created a monopoly on all production and distribution of diamonds in South Africa . Many other diamond suppliers joined forces with De Beers as to create scarcity of diamonds, once again, as to increase their price. De Beers and its Central Selling Organization established exclusive contracts with producers and consumers, which made it impossible to trade diamonds outside of the De Beers Empire. De Beers would determine the price and quantity of diamonds for the year. Therefore each one of its producers would receive a part of the total output to be sold at the predetermined price. When the monopoly was threatened through the discovery of diamonds in other countries, De Beers bought the diamonds increased their inventory and therefore their complete control through funneling all sales through single channel. When rebellions against De Beers occurred, th...