1920s Outdoor Kitchen on Mt. LeConte © Knox County Public Library
This edition of Smoky Mountains history shows the outdoor kitchen on Mt. LeConte circa 1925. This kitchen was near the original LeConte Lodge built by Jack Huff. Photos and descriptions of that early lodge can be found in the blog post titled The House That Jack Built.
The photo above was taken by Knoxville photographer and businessman, Jim Thompson. This photo is so full of interesting detail that I broke it into the three larger views shown below. I think it’s a fascinating look at camping in the mid-1920s at what would have been an extremely remote outpost at the time.
Camping on Mt. LeConte © Knox County Public Library
Above, the men gather around the breakfast table to discuss plans for the day. You can see someone sleeping on a table in the upper right.
Below, the women gather around the camp stove. Love those 1920s hair-styles!
Smoky Mountains history © Knox County Public Library
Finally, the photo below shows the tent, the supply of firewood, and another camper greeting the day. Note the high-top hiking boots worn by all. I bet they’d take forever to get on and off.
Historical photographs used with permission of C.M. McClung Historical Collection, Knox County Public Library. Click on any image to see a larger version.
Camping on Mt. LeConte 1920s © Knox County Public Library
Thanks for sharing! I can’t even imagine how hard it was.
Very interesting history. I was very surprised to see your photos after just finishing browsing the latest edition of The Tennessee Conservationist which has an article by Charles Maynard about Mt. LeConte and has some very similar photos.
Thanks for sharing this and all the other posts.
Elkmont campground is a wealth of history too. The rangers have a scrapbook and use it for tours in early evening for the campers.