Historical Activism

To many, Craggy Gardens is a weekend scenic drive into the mountains; a place of respite. Craggy awaits bloom in the stillness of the rhododendrons and pines, scattered with dusty trails that lead through the brush, thick and thin. However there is more than the trees and the flowers in this mystical land, lurking in the shadows is the spirit of local activism, lead by a hiker named W. J. Dykeman. In 1950’s there was talk of logging this 500 acre land. An active and passionate member of the Carolina Mountain club, W. J. Dykeman, spearheaded an initiative to block this proposal to protect one of the last remaining virgin hemlock forests in the country.