The Pisgah National Forest gate in the 1930s

Many residents recognize old photographs of the gate
that once graced the entrance to the Pisgah National Forest. This photo from
the 1930s shows how the original gate looked 
–a pair of crenulated stone pillars flanking the highway, an arch
emblazoned with the forest’s name topped with an eagle with outspread wings. The
eagle and castle-like pillars are long gone, though a portion of one stone
pillar remains.

It may not be immediately apparent that the stone
pillar that still exists today is not part of the original construction. The
original gate was constructed and dedicated to the memory of fallen soldiers in
1920 just after World War I and displayed two plaques honoring Transylvania
County residents who lost their lives in that war. Native stone and two bronze
plaques from the original gate were used to create the second gate, and it was
rededicated in a ceremony documented in the August 7, 1941 Transylvania Times.
Part of the second gate still remains at the entrance to the Pisgah National
Forest on Highway 276, honoring the sacrifice of the enlisted decades later.

Photographs and information
for this column are provided by the Rowell Bosse North Carolina Room,
Transylvania County Library. This article was written by Local History
Librarian Laura Gardner. For more information, comments, or suggestions,
contact NC Room staff at [email protected] or 828-884-1820.