North Shore Heritage MemoriesNorth Shore Heritage MemoriesMany years ago TVA came to Swain County and told the people "we need your land".
We need in Swain and Graham County, a total of 11,170 acres to build Fontana Dam and Lake. TVA needs this dam to create electricity which will help create a Bomb, which will help end W.W.II this is what the people ofthe North Shore were told. We will take the remaining 44,000 acres left on the North Shore, by condemnation or we will buy it for an average of $7.00 an acre and give it to the National Park Service to add to the rest of the Park. This will give the Park Service a common line to the park (the lake). The Park Service will then rebuild old NC 288 Highway, parts of it would be under water when the dam is completed. This road will give you access back to your heritage, home places and some 33 cemeteries and over 1,200 graves. This road will also help Swain County from the loss of over 119,000 acres and half the countie's land and half ofthe counties population which is on the North Shore.
Swain County entered into a legal binding contract called the 1943 Agreement with TVA-North Carolina-National Park which said after WW II when funds are made available by Congress that a road will be rebuilt. We the Citizens of Swain County are still having to fight our government leaders to honor the government's contract to Swain County which was agreed to by all four parties in 1943. The citizens of the North Shore gave all they had to help end the war. All they ask is for the government to honor their contract that was promised to them. We have never had a say about this contract, no vote in 1943, no vote in 2007. Let the people of Swain County have a vote now.
A federal study just finished by the Federal Government showed that the road would bring 715 new jobs to Swain County, personal income to Swain County estimated at $5,670,000.00 and additional retail sales of $14,270,000.00 and not harm the integrity of the park. We ask for only what we were promised, a road - not money. Just honor the 1943 agreement and help restore FAITH, FREEDOM, and JUSTICE FOR THE CITIZENS OF SWAIN COUNTY AND AMERICANS. PLEASE READ OUR HISTORY