Shannondale Resident Writes a Book

Shannondale Resident, Harry Moore, retired geologist with the Tennessee Department of Transportation and former head of geotechnical engineering department in East Tennessee, spent years of his free time photographing Appalachia's mysterious landscape. Moore discovered communities full of people with highly intriguing stories waiting to be told.  He turned his passion into purpose, writing a book that preserves Appalachian history. He is the co-author of Disappearing Appalachia: A story about East Tennessee communities, both past and present, as well as some places that have seemed to disappear over time.“I want people to see how innovative and hard-working the Appalachian people were and still are. If they didn’t have something, they made it themselves. People were so wonderful in the Appalachian culture, and it was very insightful to see how innovative they were. We sum it up in this book - the ingenuity of their time,” said Moore.

Harry Moore spent months driving, hiking and wandering back roads to capture a past life that is slowly dissolving into history. He illustrates the story with his impressive photography skills, and he explains how generations of people lived without electricity and more, a time of innocence. The book truly takes readers back in time. “We talked to people in their 80s and 90s and we got their perspective on what has changed in their lifetime. They all shared their opinions and viewpoints on hard work and what life used to be like compared to what it is today. It’s interesting to see the commonality between all of these people and how they lived. Their perspective on life. They’ve lived through having electricity for the first time, wars, seeing a man walk on the moon, cultural changes. They all said the best thing to happen was getting electricity, a second was indoor plumbing,” said More.

Moore’s book allows you to travel through time along Hogskin and Richland Valleys. Visit Frenches Mill and Dulaney General Store while passing cantilever barns, one-room school buildings, and steepled churches. Former Cades Cove residents Lois and Inez tell stories of living in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park before it was a national park. Authors Fred Brown, a retired journalist, and Harry Moore, a retired geologist, explore Tennessee's Appalachian region, recalling its culture, land, and people before it vanishes into the abyss of time.You can buy the book here.

Learn more about Shannondale here.