Hensley Settlement Tours July 13, 2010

Stroll down fence-lined lanes, step into a blacksmith`s shop, look into the springhouse, or sit in a one-room schoolhouse. In 1904, Sherman Hensley and Willie Gibbons moved high up on isolated Brush Mountain to establish a home. Using hand tools to split Chestnut logs, the settlers began to build homes. Land was cleared, crops were planted, and a thriving community soon emerged. This mountain community existed for more than 40 years before it was finally abandoned in the 1950`s. Today the buildings of this once thriving community still stand and are maintained by the National Park Service. Tours visiting this area get a first hand look at life in the southern Appalachian Mountains. Tours at 9 am and 1:30 pm.