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Walker Sisters Cabin Reopens At Great Smoky Mountains National Park

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By Compiled From N... - June 22nd, 2023

The Walker Sisters Cabin, seen here before renovations, has been reopened to the public following structural repairs/NPS file

After more than a year of renovations, the Walker Sisters Cabin in Great Smoky Mountains National Park has reopened to the public.

The cabin dates to the 1800s and was occupied by the Walker Sisters until 1964. The sisters were the daughters of John and Margaret Walker. The couple had 11 children — seven girls and four boys. While the boys and one of the sisters left home, the six remaining sisters took over their parents' farm in 1921 and managed the 122-acre spread for more than 40 years, according to the NationaL Park Service.

Park crews in 2021 became concerned about recent movement around the chimney in the two-story cabin. Noticeable cracks and buckling around the stone masonry needed to be repaired and stabilized to prevent further movement. 

During the past year the park’s Forever Places crew of skilled carpenters and masons replaced the roof and portions of the wall timbers, stabilized the foundation, added new floorboards, and restored the fireplace.

Replacing the roof was one of the tasks crews tackled/NPS

“We are proud of the expert work our dedicated Forever Places team did to restore the cabin,” said Great Smoky Deputy Superintendent Alan Sumeriski. “And we are grateful to the Friends of the Smokies for their generous support to help us preserve such an iconic piece of Smokies history.”

The Friends of the Smokies, the park’s philanthropic partner, provided funding for this critical work as part of the Forever Places campaign. Forever Places protects and preserves the historical resources in the park by hiring skilled preservation crew members and supplying materials and tools.

Visitors may reach the Walker Sisters Cabin by hiking about 1.5 miles along the Little Brier Gap Trail located near the Metcalf Bottoms Picnic Area. 

Masonry work around the fireplace also was repaired/NPS

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