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In the midst of dissent, a history lesson
Something surprising popped up amidst last week's final – and at times contentious – public session for Duke Power's hydroelectric projects' relicensing. Those in attendance were treated to a history less by longtime Glenville resident Phil Fowler.
Today, the southern end of Jackson County is known for its breathtaking lakeside scenery and the expensive homes that dot Lake Glenville's shores. But 65 or so years ago, before construction began on Nantahala Power and Light Co.'s Thorpe hydroelectric project, the town of Glenville was a thriving community in a scenic valley by the West Fork of the Tuckaseigee River.
"Old Glenville was a beautiful farming community with cabbage fields, a tannery, the Fowler House Inn, a school, two churches and a cemetery," Fowler told the crowd that packed the Justice Center's Courtroom 2 on Dec. 9. "I can remember when the lake's three largest islands were broomsage fields."
Fowler brought a collection of family photos that document how things used to be. His grandfather and great-grandfather saw most of their land taken to build the lake, he said, and he attended the October 1941 dedication of the Glenville Dam as an infant.
Intrigued by Fowler's brief reminiscences, I turned to "The History of Jackson County" to learn more. From the chapter titled "Formation of the County and Towns," written by former Herald News Editor J.D. McRorie, I learned that both Cashiers and Glenville were once incorporated towns, with Glenville, formerly Hamburg, chartered in 1891. Glenville is in Hamburg Township, the site of a fort by that name that was used to protect early settlers from Indian raids.
Originally spelled "Hamburgh," the first post office was established in 1856, five years after Jackson County was formed in 1851 from portions of Haywood and Macon counties. That post office was discontinued and later re-established as "Hamburg;" the name was changed to Glenville in 1891. When the town was incorporated that year, the township had 93 more people than Sylva Township and just 17 fewer than Webster, which was then the county seat.
Glenville's charter called for the town's limits to be "three-quarters of mile from the college building in said town in all directions." The "college building" referred to was Hamburg Normal High School, founded in 1886 by the Rev. A.F. Brown and chartered by the General Assembly. The first town officers, who served until an election could be held, were Elbert Watson, mayor; E.C. Hedden, H.A. Brown, A.H. Wilson, W.A. Watson and B.J. Moody, commissioners; and J.A. Gribble, marshal.
Among the structures removed in connection with NP&L's Glenville hydroelectric project were the Hamburg church and cemetery, the Morrison cemetery, the Wesleyan church, the post office, the Mack Fowler store, the Carl Jamison store, the H.A. Reynolds store, the Fowler House (a touring house) and a number of homes.
Constructed in 14 months, from August 1940 through October 1941, work on the Glenville dam, lake and powerhouse proceeded around the clock in order to get the plant online sooner to produce aluminum needed to make warplanes for World War II. The project was renamed "Thorpe" in 1951 after J.E.S. Thorpe, NP&L's first president. The name of the lake and dam was changed back to Thorpe a few years ago, but the power plant still bears the Thorpe name.
Duke Power purchased NP&L in 1988; the former NP&L service area is now known as Duke Power-Nantahala Area.
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