A Familiar Wilderness: Searching for Home on Daniel Boone's Road

by Simon J. Dahlman

In 1775, renowned pioneer Daniel Boone was commissioned to blaze a road through the Appalachian and Cumberland Plateau regions as a fledgling American nation steadily pushed westward. What would come to be known as the Wilderness Road was the first major route into the West, and it allowed settlers to migrate northwest into Kentucky and later settle parts of Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois. In 2012, Jim Dahlman stopped to stretch his legs on a brief hike into the Cumberland Gap and stumbled upon an adventure. After months of preparation, Dahlman grabbed a pack and set out to hike as accurately as possible Daniel Boone’s original trace. In  A Familiar Wilderness , Dahlman illustrates that the Wilderness Road is more than an old track through Appalachia. Many of the towns grew up along Boone’s original footpath, and people in these areas can draw direct connections to Boone himself or to other early settlers who traversed this trans-Appalachian route. Dahlman uses these and other encounters to uncover the history of the Wilderness Road and show how we are all a product of our past. The hospitality of strangers becomes especially instrumental in making Dahlman’s hike come alive. Robert, one such stranger, offers to personally guide Dahlman over Powell Mountain. As they make their ascent, Robert provides a splendid view of the mountain, blending careful observation of their surroundings with deep knowledge of the place. A finale to Dahlman’s almost 300-mile hike occurs on Hackberry Ridge overlooking Fort Boonesborough State Park—a fitting tribute to Boone’s own arrival on the ridge famously overlooking a herd of buffalo. A Familiar Wilderness  takes readers on a winding path where geography, history, and local memory intersect with daily life, and Dahlman’s lively writing, sensitive to every detail, will bring readers into thrilling touch with a past that still shapes and challenges the present.

Genres: Travel

328 pages, Paperback

Published March 15, 2019

Reviews

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

Truth be told, Jim, the author, is a good friend. I am still a librarian and an avid reader, so I feel my judgement is sound. I love these kinds of books, part history, part travelogue, part memoir. This book did not disappoint. I learned a lot about an area I have driven through A LOT, but usually at 55+ mph. This book made me want to slow down and spend more time here. Like Jim, I am also a transplant to the area and often times feel less connected to the area than so many of my neighbors. This book made me feel better on a number of levels. I enjoyed it a great deal and often could hear Jim's voice narrating it in my head.

[Nancy Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reading Dahlman's first-person account of his trek across the Appalachians is like a virtual reality game...you might as well be walking right alongside him every step of the way. His wry-at-times commentary on the places, things, animals, and most importantly people he meets along the way is fascinating and engaging. Dahlman undertakes a personal pursuit to walk the entire length of the mostly-original trail blazed by Daniel Boone and crew in the 1700s, in preparation for a great Western migration by early settlers. But what is Dahlman pursuing? A mission? Healing in grief? A diversion? Great stories? Home? Perhaps all of the above. Follow along as he leads you past open fields, through lonely woods, into small town streets and diners, through college campuses, across treacherous bridges, and safely past threatening dogs and wildlife (most of them already dead as roadkill). Meet the people of Appalachia...their struggles, dreams, wariness of strangers, and family life. Like "Hillbilly Elegy," this book will give you a different perspective of the people who have inhabited Appalachia for generations--as Dahlman finds his own perspectives of them changing by the end of his trip. Great historical background, astute observations of the present day realities. A must-read for anyone interested in the culture of this beautiful, still-wild region.

[Michael Hewitt · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was intrigued when hearing of this book as I took the author’s journalism course while attending Milligan College. I expected to enjoy the book, as I enjoy hiking and particularly books about long hiking journeys, but the book exceeded expectations! Mr. Dahlman writes with such detail that I felt like I was walking the Wilderness Road with him, sharing in conversation with new friends, and experiencing the realizations alongside. The balance of journey, history, and current analysis is good throughout the book making it a good read for any who enjoy books about the outdoors, history, Appalachia, or any combination of those. I highly recommend this book!

[Liz Banks · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a wonderful Odyssey through Appalachia. A college professor takes 24 days to hike Daniel Boone's original Wilderness Trail from Elizabethton TN to Boonesborough KY. Like any Odyssey, he meets people unlike him and some somewhat like him. He struggles with the elements, fauna and flora. His journey is compelling. His telling of it is engaging. He left me with a sense of wonder and a strong urge to visit the places he visited.

[Candice Schlaegel · Rating 5 out of 5]

SJ Dahlman does an excellent job at sharing the history of the areas he is trekking while also sharing with us his personal experiences of the land and the people. If you are a history buff or just like a good memoir, I recommend this book! Dahlman shares facts, feelings, and faith in A Familiar Wilderness.

[Mary]

I'm just getting started on A Familiar Wilderness. It is intriguing to be for a couple of reasons - I kind of know the author and I grew up near the Wilderness Road. Dahlman has the ability to put you there walking beside him on the road. I love his descriptions of familiar places which take on new life as he walked them.

Can't wait to finish it. Done. You really feel like you are walking alongside Jim as he does this adventure. As a child, I in lived in some of these places so it was a great experience to relive with the author.

Great mix of local history, personalities and travelogue.