The Cades Cove Story

Here a one-time resident (until he was 13) takes a look back into the settlement and the daily life of its inhabitants. Truly the book gave me the glimpse I was looking for, and yet reading this partial history of the area opens up so many other questions. The structures that are left in Cades Cove, the ones that peeked my curiousity, are from this era in time: the John P. Cable Mill, John Oliver's cabin, the various churches, etc. Shields reveals how these settlers came to live in Cades Cove, how they farmed the area, how they worshipped (and how the churches formed, split up, and reformed), and even the effect of the Civil War upon the families in residence at the time. He interjects diary entries and newspaper columns that add first person recountings of past events. The book contains a number of captioned black and white photographs that illustrate places and people Shield came across in his research into the town. The Cades Cove Story is but a brief overview of this geographic area; it is a glimpse into a specific time period of life here and focuses on the more prominent families of the town. However it also offers a great historical perspective for the era of which it covers, including how communciation and postal services were handled, what types of farming the area was known for and how the residents would have accomplished their tasks, and how social interactions were woven into the hard daily life that belongs to a farming community. For a book this size, it covers a lot of ground, and it's a historical gem for anyone wanting to better understand this patch of land during this period of time.

I purchased this book at the Cade's Cove welcome center(Cable Mill), and didn't put it down much until I was through reading it. I absolutely love this old community and the history, and Mr. Shield's account was so interesting. I would recommend it to anyone wanting to learn a little more about this pioneering community.

I have always had a love for this mountain community which disappeared with the coming of the park. Mr. Shields, too, shares that love. He never says much about himself, but it's clear in the telling of his tale that this relation to Carter Shields is deeply involved in his subject. There's not many glossy photographs, and the style is a little rough around the edges, but the book is very informative and does not dwell on "political" issues.