Mount Mitchell and the Black Mountains: An Environmental History of the Highest Peaks in Eastern America

by Timothy Silver

Each year, thousands of tourists visit Mount Mitchell, the most prominent feature of North Carolina's Black Mountain range and the highest peak in the eastern United States. From Native Americans and early explorers to land speculators and conservationists, people have long been drawn to this rugged region. Timothy Silver explores the long and complicated history of the Black Mountains, drawing on both the historical record and his experience as a backpacker and fly fisherman. He chronicles the geological and environmental forces that created this intriguing landscape, then traces its history of environmental change and human intervention from the days of Indian-European contact to today.

Among the many tales Silver recounts is that of Elisha Mitchell, the renowned geologist and University of North Carolina professor for whom Mount Mitchell is named, who fell to his death there in 1857. But nature's stories--of forest fires, chestnut blight, competition among plants and animals, insect invasions, and, most recently, airborne toxins and acid rain--are also part of Silver's narrative, making it the first history of the Appalachians in which the natural world gets equal time with human history. It is only by understanding the dynamic between these two forces, Silver says, that we can begin to protect the Black Mountains for future generations.

Genres: History

352 pages, Paperback

First published March 3, 2003

Reviews

[Thomas Mabry]

Great Read

For a hiker/waterfaller who has visited the Blacks, viewed them from afar, journeyed to Mitchell Falls following an eerily similar route as Elisha Mitchell, and having spent on and offtrail time on the area, the book gave me the needed narrative to understand the historical context of a fascinating 15 mile slice of America. Kudos to Dr. Silver for sharing his personal experiences. As we like to say, risk makes the adventure come alive, and we wouldn’t want it any other way ...

[Peggy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Throughly enjoyed this book about the Blacks,the mountains we look at each morning on our walk and the range where we often hike. The history is fascinating. However,the environmental impact of careless human actions motivated by profit is startling and sad. We can only hope that, in spite of the worsening impact of global warming these majestic mountains and their environment will have a chance.

[Don · Rating 5 out of 5]

GREAT BOOK! It tells the history of man in these mountains beginning with the Native Americans including the Pisgah’s who lived here in the 1400’s, then on to Hernando De Soto and his Conquistadors who 600 strong (with 200 pigs and armored attack dogs) marched through the area around 1540 on Indian paths, followed much later by English and French. Of particular interest to me was the chronicling of the discovery of plants by André Michaux who sent thousands of plant specimens back to France.
A primary focus of the book is man and the mountain environment and how one has effect on the other. I came away with a much better understanding of the plants, and wildlife in these mountains and the changes that have occurred over time. Probably my favorite part of the book were where he interspersed along with all the historical facts “blogs” with observations about his adventures hiking particular trials. It is a must that you have a good map to follow along with his descriptions in the book and plan your own adventures in the area. An awesome map can be had for $6 at the following link:
http://www.nationalforestmapstore.com...
A very special thanks goes out to my buddy Doug who told me about the book and loaned me his copy. He was right when he said that after reading the book “I’m sure you will be itching to hike, run or camp on the Crest Trail. Let’s do it.” I am ready and I look forward to re-reading the book as I experience the area first hand.

[Jeffrey Howard · Rating 5 out of 5]

Given the ecological crises the Black Mountains were facing in the early 2000s, I'd love to read an updated version of Silver's book to so how much better or worse things have gotten for our spruce-fir forests around Mt. Mitchell.

I feel so much more at home in southern Appalachia having read this. Now, I can look around at the landscapes in awe, and then cry uncontrollably knowing just what led to the demise of these once majestic woodlands--seeing much of the human-made destruction we are perpetuating upon our natural communities.

The chestnut blight is clearly "my Roman Empire." I must think about it at least once a week.

Man, fossil fuel is one helluva drug.

[Christopher · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book, but I am interested in the subject matter and my opinion is biased. This work is both a mix of history and nature writing. The author is an avid hiker and explorer of the Black Mountains and he incorporates portions of his nature journal to begin and separate each chapter into segments. The journal entries are well-done and on-point, while the history is informative and well-researched.

The history spans from the creation of the Appalachians to present times, but Timothy Silver's primarily focus is on the relationship between the Black Mountains and human beings in the years since the 1800s to present. Despite not being the focus, this work presents great information on the natural history of the Black Mountains, as well as on the Pisgah People and the other peoples who lived in the region prior to the Europeans and how they altered the forest to their benefit.

In particular, I enjoyed the information on the loss of the American Chestnut, the shifting conditions of the mountains since industrialization and the subsequent scientific experimentation of the different governing institutions in preserving and maybe even "improving" the Black Mountain's ecology. The story of Elisha Mitchell, Thomas Clingman, and Big Tom in discovering Mt Mitchell to be the tallest mountain in the Appalachians is also very good.

[Douglas · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book tells the environmental history of the Black Mountains. These include Mount Mitchell and are located in North Carolina between Asheville and Boone. Silver splices into each chapter accounts of his excursions into the mountains. The history covers De Soto's arrival to the area, timber operations, and the Chestnut Blight, among other topics.