On the Blue Ridge Parkway in North Carolina

The Blue Ridge Parkway, stretching from Cherokee, North Carolina, to Afton, Virginia, is one of the great scenic drives of the world. It winds up and down through the Smokies, passing the higher points of the mountains and bypassing most urban areas. The scenery is sublime, especially in autumn, when the leaves are a brilliant feast for the eyes.

I took most of these photographs in May of 2017 en route to The Vintage car show, held annually in the Asheville area. The weather was perfect for photography with drizzle and low clouds. I could not resist. I have warned you long-term readers before that you will gradually see more "pretty" pictures here. So, no urban decay this time, just nature. These photographs are oriented from west to east, starting a short distance east of the western terminus of the Parkway. We will proceed to a few miles northeast of Asheville.

Balsam Gap Overlook (Hassselblad 501CM camera, Fomapan 100 Classic film)

This mellow overlook is just east of Balsam Gap, through which US 74 and 23, the Great Smoky Mountains Expressway, passes.

Licklog Ridge Overlook (elev. 4602 ft; Fuji Acros film, Pentax Spotmatic camera, 135mm ƒ/3.5 SMC Takumar lens, yellow filter)

During both 2017 and 2018, the weather became more misty and wet as I ascended from Balsam Gap. Both years had perfect soft lighting with just enough contrast to sculpt the trees and lichens.

Richard Balsam Overlook, highest point on the Blue Ridge Parkway (Nexus 4 digital file)

In 2017, by the time I reached the highest spot on the Parkway, the weather had closed in and sleet was falling. Surprisingly, my old car does very well on these hills despite its little 1800cc engine.

Fetterbush Overlook (Fomapan 100 film)

Fetterbush Overlook (elev. 5494 ft)

Pisgah Campground (elev. 4980 ft)

Pisgah Campground (elev. 4980 ft; Fomapan 100 film)

The Pisgah Campground and Pisgah Inn are on a ridge with expansive mountain and valley views to the south and north (except when it is fogged in, which may be common). I had planned to drive here and stay at the inn in 2020 en route to The Vintage, but the Covid Virus ruined our plans. The Inn and Campground are cool during the hottest summer days.

Chestnut Cove (elev 2180 ft)

Heading east towards Asheville, Chestnut Cove Overlook is down to 2180 ft elevation. 

Study in poison ivy, Walnut Cove Overlook (elev. 2200 ft; Tri-X 400 film, 80mm ƒ/2.8 Planar-CB lens, green filter)

Walnut Cove Overlook is only a few miles from Asheville. The land off the Parkway is being developed with McCabins for the wealthy set. At least the developers have not clear-cut the timber.

North Carolina Arboretum, Asheville, NC (Tri-X 400 film, Hasselblad 50mm ƒ/4 Distagon lens, green filter)

The North Carolina Arboretum is a treasure of plant diversity, with trails and waterways. It is within the Bent Creek Experimental Forest just south of Asheville and adjacent to the Blue Ridge Parkway at Milepost 393.

The Parkway passes south of Asheville before turning north and crossing I-40. In 2018, I wrote about the River Arts District of Asheville and the rural decay en route to Hot Springs. Asheville has become a serious foodie and coffee place, well worth a visit.

Green Knob Overview (80mm ƒ/2.8 Planar-CB lens)

Green Knob Overlook (elev. 4760 ft), 

Once you cross I-40, the Blue Ridge Parkway begins to twist and turn and ascend. The Green Knob Overlook is a short distance east of the turnoff for Mt. Mitchell, a worthwhile diversion. In 2017, sleet was falling up at the visitor overlook. 

Mill on Curtis Creek Road in Pisgah National Forest (Fomapan 100 film, Hasselblad 50mm ƒ/4 Distagon lens, 1/60 ƒ/4)

I took the wrong turnoff and plunged downhill on Curtis Creek Road. It was dirt and very muddy, but fortunately I did not get stuck (gravity helped; going uphill would have been impossible in my little 2-wheel-drive car). The road headed down through the Pisgah National Forest. This handsome old mill caught my eye. Finally I reached paved road and found an onramp to I-40 at Old Fort. 

Mr. Catfish John, I-40 rest area, North Carolina

I met Catfish John at the rest stop on Interstate 40. I admired his big old Chevrolet Caprice station wagon. He said he had several and restored them. I wish I had a beard like his as well as one of these wagons.

This ends our short tour on the southwestern part of the Blue Ridge Parkway. It is a fantastic road trip, but rather slow going, especially if you encounter RVs trudging along. Summer is quite crowded, so go on one of the shoulder seasons. During mid-winter, snow forces the Park Service to close parts of the road. These are film photographs, most from 120-size Kodak Tri-X 400 and Foma Fomapan 100 Classic film.

Lost Architecture, Martin Luther King, Jr., Blvd., Vicksburg, Mississippi

Martin Luther King, Jr., Boulevard in Vicksburg was formerly known as Old Jackson Road. It ran along a ridge crest and was once lined with tens or maybe over a hundred cottages. Some of them had their front doors at street level but the backs were perched over the hillsides on stilts, often quite precarious-looking. This road has occupied this approximate right-of-way since the Civil War, and many of the cottages may have been from the late-1800s or early 20th century. In the last decade, many houses been lost to fire or neglect. I have photographed along here over the years. This quick survey is oriented from downtown heading east, so the house numbers will increase. (Click any photograph to see more detail.)

1404 MLK Jr. (Fuji X-E1 digital file converted to B&W)

This little cottage at 1404 was occupied when I photographed it in 2014, but it definitely looked precarious. As of 2020, the house is still standing but the center is curving downward even more.

1412 MLK Jr. (Fuji X-E1 digital file converted to B&W)

1412 MLK Jr. (Fuji X-E1 digital file converted to B&W)

1412 MLK Jr. interior (Fuji X-E1 digital file converted to B&W)

This old cottage at 1412 once had a fireplace for a stove insert, probably a coal stove. Being a railroad town, coal was readily available.

1416 MLK Jr. (Fuji X-E1 digital file converted to B&W)

This big cottage is probably late-1800s vintage. I think it was occupied when I took the picture in 2015, but the boarded windows were a bit perplexing. These were once floor-to-ceiling windows, very handsome. As of 2020, the house is standing and the windows have been uncovered.

1499 MLK Jr (Panasonic G-1 digital file converted to B&W, 5cm ƒ/2 Leitz Summitar lens)

1499 was a pink house almost across the street from the old Kuhn Charity Hospital. The house was demolished around 2013. The Kuhn hospital has also been totally demolished.

1618 MLK, Jr., Blvd. (Kodak Panatomic-X film, Hasselblad 501CM, 80mm ƒ/2.8 Planar-CB lens)

No. 1618 is one of a diminishing number of shotgun houses. Vicksburg, like other southern towns, probably had dozens or hundreds of these little houses in the early 20th century, but one by one, they have been torn down.

1705 MLK Jr. rear view (Fuji X-E1 digital file converted to B&W)

This is the back of a small house at 1705. The trash was tossed down the hillside.

1711 MLK Jr. (Fuji X-E1 digital file converted to B&W)

Interior room in 1711 MLK Jr. (Fuji X-E1 digital file)

Books in 1711 MLK Jr. (Fuji X-E1 digital file)

Kudzu mountain and 1711 MLK Jr. (Fuji X-E1 digital file)

Basement 1711 MLK Jr. (Fuji X-E1 digital file)

1711 was a handsome cottage up on one of Vicksburg's many loess ridges. The rear of the house was over the hill and supported by rather precarious-looking brick pillars. There was enough headroom in the crawl space for a sink and (maybe) a residence room? A student left his/her books behind. As of 2020, the kudzu has engulfed the entire lot where the house once stood.

1756 MLK Jr. (Fuji X-E1 digital file)

Side entrance, 1756 MLK Jr. (Fuji X-E1 digital file)

1756 was an example of a house whose front porch was at street ground level but whose rear was perched over the hill. On this house, concrete blocks had been added as a basement wall, but the original supports were likely wood piles. In Vicksburg, these houses can remain occupied as long as they are in maintained condition. But if the house is condemned, the land changes zoning status where no future house can be erected.

1826 MLK, Jr., Blvd., Vicksburg (Fomapan 100 Classic film, Fuji GW690II camera, 90mm ƒ/3.5 lens)

This house at 1826 looked reasonably sound, but the lack of an electric meter meant it was unoccupied (or at least had no electricity).

1832 MLK, Jr., Blvd., Vicksburg (Fomapan 100 Classic film, Fuji GW690II camera, 90mm ƒ/3.5 lens)

This house with concrete cladding (to resemble limestone blocks) is still standing but has the notation from the city inspector spray-pained on the front. .

1844 MLK., Jr., Blvd. (Tri-X 400 film, Fuji GW690II camera, 90mm ƒ/3.5 lens)

1900 MLK., Jr., Blvd (fire damage) (Fomapan 100 Classic film, Fuji GW 690II camera, 90mm ƒ/3.5 lens)

This fire-damaged house at 1900 sat unrepaired for a long time. Status: unknown.

1904 MLK, Jr., Blvd, Vicksburg 

1917 MLK, Jr., Blvd (Fuji X-E1 digital file)

1920 MLK, Jr. Blvd (Fuji X-E1 digital file)

2228 MLK Jr., Blvd., Vicksburg (Tri-X 400 film, Fuji GW690II camera, 90mm ƒ/3.5 lens)

2228 MLK Jr., Blvd., Vicksburg (Tri-X 400 film, Pentax Spotmatic camera, 35mm ƒ/3.5 Super-Takumar lens)

This duplex at 2228 is right next to historic Beulah Cemetery. This part of the road once had access into the Vicksburg National Military Park, but this entrance has been closed for decades. As of September 2020, the house was still standing and the pillars had cheerful turquoise paint.

Beulah Cemetery (Panatomic-X film, Hasselblad 501CM, 50mm ƒ/4 Distagon lens)

Beulah Cemetery was neglected for many years, but now the City maintains it. This was from a rare snow day in 2017.

Dear readers, this has been a short tour of historic MLK, Jr. Blvd (Openwood Road). I have more photographs among my color Kodachrome slides, but they will wait for a future effort at scanning. I will show more lost Vicksburg architecture in future articles.

On the Dixie Overland Highway, Historic US 80 - Vicksburg area (MS-04)

R.H. Henry Bridge, Big Black River, Bovina, Mississippi (Fomapan 100 Classic film, Hasselblad 501CM camera, 50mm Distagon lens) 

In the previous article, I explored US 80 (formerly the Dixie Overland Highway) in west Jackson. Proceeding west, US 80 went through the town of Clinton and eventually to Vicksburg. It then crossed the Mississippi on the old Mississippi River bridge (now closed to traffic). Once Interstate 20 was built in the 1970s, part of 80 disappeared, and the route is no longer continuous west of Clinton. But from Edwards west, you can still drive on 80 as it crosses the Big Black River and cuts straight through the loess bluffs. Here are some photographs from US 80 east of Vicksburg.

Colored Motel, US 80 east of Mount Albans Road (expired Kodak Ektar 25 film, Hasselblad 501 CM camera, 50mm Distagon lens)

This is the former Colored Motel on US 80. In the 1980s, a sign above the building still showed the name, and somewhere I may have a Kodachrome slide. Regardless, the motel has been unused for 4 decades and the jungle is slowly engulfing the buildings. The pink paint on the stucco walls was rather cheerful and warranted some color frames.

Aluminum Fiberglass lady, somewhere on US 80, Vicksburg (4×5" Tri-X film, 180 ƒ/5.6 Caltar IIN lens) 

The aluminum fiberglass lady was so sweet. She was always impeccably dressed. She never objected to having her portrait taken. She was quiet. And then she went away without a word. I did not record the address in 1989 and do not know exactly where she stood, but I hope she proudly graces another home now. If any of you readers recognize her, please let me know.

UPDATE: This may be the former Miss Uniroyal, also known as the Uniroyal Gal. Amazing, she once lived in Vicksburg! Please see the last comment from a reader below. 

Oops, minor problem, US 80 (Kodak Panatomic-X film, Hasselblad 501CM camera, 50mm ƒ/4 Distagon lens, yellow filter)

Just west of Mount Albans Road, the soil under part of the roadbed washed out during the January 2020 rains (rain fell for a solid month). As of May 2020, the MSDOT highway department is in the process of purchasing land and settling contracts for the repair.

Pinewood Motel, US 80, Vicksburg (Tri-X film, 180mm ƒ/5.6 Caltar IIN lens)

A short distance west, closer to Vicksburg, was the former Pinewood Motor Court. I took pictures there over the years and wrote an article about the Pinewood in 2019. Preservation Mississippi covered the Pinewood in a 2014 article. I included a 2006 photograph to remind you what the old motel looked like. As of early 2020, all the buildings have been demolished because the site may be used for a new Warren County jail.

No more pecans here, Hwy 80, Vicksburg (Panatomic-X film, Hasselblad 501CM, 50mm ƒ/4 Distagon lens)

A long-unused steel warehouse sat on the south side of the road adjacent to the Pinewood. At one time, it may have been a car repair shop as well as a pecan shed.

The junk pile was pretty trashy. A few friends like the pickup truck perched on top of a Honda.

Some abandoned houses/trailers are in the woods south of the road. Once the foliage comes out in spring, they are hard to see.

A driveway drops down into a gully and leads off to a house somewhere. I liked the old real pickup truck.

Shed off US 80 near Anderson Road, Vicksburg (Kodak Panatomic-X film, Hasselblad 501 CM camera, 80mm ƒ/2.8 Planar-CB lens, green filter)

Once you reach the junction of 80 and MS 27, the scene becomes totally boring strip America, with gas stations and cheesy strip malls. It is un-photogenic. From here, Clay Street leads downtown, but there is no real US 80 connection to the old Mississippi River Bridge any more.

We will close with a photograph of the old Mississippi River Bridge in 1993 during construction of the Ameristar Casino. The company had to install a serious amount of geotechnical protection to reinforce the bluff and stabilize the road leading down to the casino. By 1993, the old bridge was already closed to car traffic. It may, one day, become a walk and bike trail. I wrote about 80 in east Louisiana in an earlier article (please click the link).

This ends our survey of US 80, the former Dixie Overland Highway, in Mississippi. Thank you all for riding along. Standby for more coverage of 80 in Louisiana.