From the heyday of the Cherokee Nation and on through the twentieth century, the Great Smoky Mountains have nurtured some of the most celebrated hunters in American history. Predicting changes in weather and almost telepathically sensing animal behavior, these outdoorsmen were linked inextricably with the land that sustained them. Local author Bob Plott lovingly recalls the tales- rife with characters like Honest John, the bear whose habit of killing only enough livestock to eat at one sitting granted him a reputation at once chivalrous and menacing, and 'Little George' Plott, a legendary marksman turned World War II hero- that linger among the region's hardwood forests and misty foothills. Rediscover an era of self-sufficient mountain living, when folks labored in logging camps, brewed moonshine, hunted for survival and fought for what they believed in.

Amid the rocky crags and misty hollows of North Carolina's Great Smoky Mountains grew a generation of hardy and fascinating characters whose lives became the stuff of legend. Discover the tale of the bold Captain Kennedy and his ragtag band of Mohican and British comrades, who became French and Indian War heroes; how Henry Von Plott became a renowned bear hunter and breeder of the world's premier hunting dog; and the story of Yonaguska, considered to be the last truly great chief of the Cherokee Nation. Join Von Plott's great-nephew and prolific local author Bob Plott as he weaves the lively stories of these vibrant characters and their lasting legacy on the people who will always call the area home.

Though originating in Germany, the Plott hound reached worldwide fame through the contributions of many colorful characters from the Southern Appalachians. Originally brought to America by German immigrant Johannes George Plott, the hounds quickly became renowned for their stamina and gameness. Quill Rose - a legendary local outlaw, moonshiner, gunfighter and more - helped cultivate the bloodline for bear hunting, while revered baseball icon Branch Rickey brought national acclaim to the breed through his hunts in the Hazel Creek Watershed. Writer Frank Methven wrote extensively about the Plott hound for decades, and the Methven Award remains one of the most coveted big game hunting awards in the world. Author and breed expert Bob Plott reveals the fascinating people and places that have shaped the history of the Plott hound.

Man versus beast. It is an age-old struggle, and one that has ensued within the rugged terrain of the Great Smoky Mountains since humans first encountered the region centuries ago. Author and local hunting connoisseur Bob Plott takes readers on a quest back through time for a glimpse into the minds and the rifles of the region s most intrepid hunters. From the primitive weaponry and prevailing tactics of the Cherokee to the audacious rifle-toting ridge runners, and even a gruesome gang of cannibalistic rogues, these stories are truly a gripping tribute to mountain life and the adventure of the game.

The Great Smoky Mountains were a remote and inaccessible place with no major highways or railroads until well after the Civil War. Using first enslaved and later convict labor, the Western North Carolina Railroad and Murphy Branch connected the mountains with the remainder of
the state by 1891. The railroad brought commerce and tourism, and tourists and rail buffs continue to come to Bryson City to experience travel by steam train on the Great Smoky Mountains Railroad. The history of this line is a story like no other. It is a tale filled with tragedy, heroism, brains, blood, sweat, tears, nitroglycerin and humor.

The Plott bear hound, a dog originally from Germany and developed in the North Carolina mountains, is known as one of the world's best hunting dog breeds.Recognized now as one of the premier hunting dogs in America, the Plott bear hound is unique among hunting dog breeds because it descends from Germanic stock rather than the traditional English foxhound. The breed's story began when its original breeder, Johannes Plott, and his brother Enoch left Germany in 1750 with their prized hunting dogs. This trip across the Atlantic began the two-hundred-year journey that would culminate in the North Carolina mountains with the development of what is now arguably the world's finest breed of hunting dog. This fascinating story of the Plott family and the Plott hound is a classic American tale of adventurers and underdogs--a story that Bob Plott, the great-great-great-grandson of Johannes Plott, is uniquely qualified to tell.