Day 24 - Thursday, April 21, 2005 - Chattanooga To Murphy

 

The day began at South Pittsburgh, Tennessee, a few miles west of Chattanooga...

 

       

 

       

 

 

Entering the Eastern Time Zone just west of Chattanooga...

 

Into Chattanooga, along the Tennessee River...

 

     

 

I had the pleasure of petitioning a group of Chattanooga fireman thusly - "pardon me boys, which way to the Chattanooga Choo-Choo?" The firemen pointed the way and to the Chattanooga Choo-Choo I did go. I walked around a bit and had a fine breakfast in the grand old hotel...

 

       

 

       

 

       

 

       

 

     

 

Driving through downtown Chattanooga...

 

       

 

       

 

 

Upon stopping at a Camping World on the outskirts of Chattanooga to pick up a few items, a couple of fellows from Gulfstream Coach walked up and introduced themselves. Said fellows worked for Gulfstream in Indiana and were in Chattanooga on business. As they were not familiar with the Bigfoot brand, they wanted to take a look and I happily obliged. I am happy to report that Bigfoot's quality raises eyebrows amongst RV techies most everywhere I go...

 

     

 

Proceeding on... Highway 64 East. Notice the sharp exit off the highway in the shot below, and notice the marks on the barrier wall left by motorists who could not make the unexpectedly sharp exit turn. I didn't hit the barrier, but I did have to slam on the brakes. This was my closet brush with disaster on the entire Big Drive...

 

Nearing the Tennessee / North Carolina border, via Highway 64. Here I saw the first road sign for Murphy, North Carolina, the westernmost city in North Carolina...

 

       

 

Along the Ocoee River...

 

       

 

At this point along the Ocoee River I passed the site of the 1996 Olympic whitewater rafting competition...

 

     

 

Easternmost Tennessee. The Great Smoky Mountains of North Carolina are almost in sight..

 

       

 

Crossing into Cherokee County, North Carolina, just west of Murphy. North Carolina is a wide state, west to east, giving rise to the old local phrase "Murphy to Manteo" (Murphy being the westernmost city, and Manteo, on the Outer Banks, the easternmost city). Notice the road sign - "Manteo 563"...

 

       

 

 

 

 

Cherokee County, North Carolina, my Father's birthplace. Just before reaching Murphy oh Highway 64 East I turned south on Highway 60 to reach the area where my Father was raised... near Ranger, at Culberson, North Carolina... about a hundred miles north of Atlanta...

 

       

 

       

 

   

 

Culberson, North Carolina... the Thompson ancestral homeland. Many of the old farmhouses through here are being replaced by expensive log homes. I'm told that land prices have shot through the roof as more and more people move into the area. Signs of the old times are quickly disappearing...

 

The road to the home where my Father was born and raised...

 

       

 

The site of the old Thompson home. The old house is long gone, with only an old well house still standing.  When I was growing up in Charlotte my family would make the 4 hour drive to visit my Father's parents at this site 2 or 3 times a year...

 

         

 

Just down the way from my Father's old home stands the Bethany Baptist Church, usually referred to as "The Line" (because of its location on the North Carolina / Georgia state line). This is where most of the old Thompson graves are, including my Father's parents, Charlie and Dollie Thompson...

 

       

 

       

 

 

Macedonia Baptist Church, aka "Happytop," was another local church that figured heavily in my Father's early life...

 

The old Ira Thompson home (my grandfather's brother). Ira and Grandfather Charlie moved to Bakersfield, California twice during the 1920's...

 

The old Fred Thompson home (my Father's brother). 

 

     

 

From Culberson, North Carolina I drove a few miles over to Blairsville, Georgia, to visit with my Uncle Elmer (my Father's brother) and Aunt Christine, and there I stayed the evening...

 

       

 

 

Cousin Michael dropped in during the visit with Uncle Elmer and Aunt Christine...

 

Camp Elmer...