Whiteside Mountain
Whiteside Mountain | |
---|---|
Highest point | |
Elevation | 4,930 ft (1,500 m) |
Coordinates | 35°04′51″N 83°08′18″W / 35.0809°N 83.1382°W |
Geography | |
Location | Jackson County, North Carolina, U.S. |
Parent range | Appalachian Mountains |
Topo map | USGS Highlands |
Whiteside Mountain or Sanigilâ'gĭ in Cherokee is a
Since the 1980s, the forest service has tried to restrict access to the Courthouse and has allowed the foot trail to it to grow over because of dangers such as strong winds. They also did not want accidents from paragliding and similar activities taking place from the mountain top or from the Courthouse. There is also an overhang, a small platform less than 7 feet in diameter, connected to Whiteside as if it were a cantilever. Similar overhangs can be found on the Appalachian Trail.
History
The Cherokee name for Whiteside mountain is Sanigilâ'gĭ.[5][6]
Legend of Spear Finger
Cherokee myth says that Spear-finger, the powerful woman monster, built a bridge from the Hiwassee River to Whiteside Mountain.[6][7]
Legend of De Soto
The overhanging edge has a message carved into it, which reads that
Inscription Update - Nov. 18, 2021 The inscription actually reads, ""T.T." Un luego Santa a la memoria" In 1946, Rev. Herman Miles Alley confessed to carving the engraving. He loved the Spanish language and made the carving during a sad period in his life. He was trying to say, "a memorial to a future saint."[8] While it is unsure which of these stories may be factual, the use of "quotation marks" was not in use at the time DeSoto's ventures.
References
- ^ U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Whiteside Mountain
- ^ "H1271 [Edition 2]". Retrieved 2007-07-11.
- ^ "An Inventory of the Significant Natural Areas of Jackson County, North Carolina" (PDF). Archived from the original (pdf) on 2007-06-15. Retrieved 2007-07-11.
- ^ U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Devil's Courthouse Tunnel
- ISBN 0-914875-19-1. p467
- ^ a b Setzer, Lynn (October 31, 1999). "Once upon a time ..." The Raleigh News & Observer. pp. 316, 444, 467. Full text
- ISBN 0-914875-19-1. p 316 and also 444 & 467
- ^ The Summer times by Nancy Turner