In 1885, Hugh MacRae graduated from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and set off to pursue to a career as a mining engineer at the mica mines on Bailey Mountain in Mitchell County near Spruce Pine. He soon found his way on horseback into Avery County and was so overwhelmed by its beauty that he immediately wrote to his father Donald MacRae in Wilmington for the funds to purchase 15,750 acres encompassing Grandfather Mountain, parts of Sugar Mountain, Grandmother Mountain and Flattop Mountain. Most of the tracts purchased between 1885 and 1890 by MacRae belonged to Walter Waightstill Lenoir, grandson of General William Lenoir, for whom the town of Lenoir is named. In 1889, Hugh MacRae founded the Linville Improvement Company and began development of the first North Carolina mountain golf course and the resort community of Linville at the foot of Grandfather Mountain. In 1891-92, MacRae built the Honahlossee (pronounced "yon-a-la-see," Cherokee for "trail of the black bear") Road from Linville across the eastern slope of Grandfather to Blowing Rock, opening his resort to personal transportation. He also founded a stagecoach ilne across the 20 mile scenic route that today is known as US 221. There was a horseback trail up the slope of Grandfather to an overlook known as "Cliffside,", and in the early 1900s, MacRae's son Donald and Julian Morton, husband of Agnes MacRae Morton, widened this path into a one-lane road that was passable by automobiles. A wooden viewing platform was constructed and a nominal toll was charged to those who wished to travel to the spectacular view from Grandfather.
In 1946, Hugh Morton, the eldest son of Julian and Agnes, returned from duty as a United States Army newsreel cameraman in the South Pacific and took over his late father's duties as president of the Linville Company. Morton envisioned a road leading to the crest of the Grandfather with a bridge across to Linville Park, but family stockholders disputed Morton's premise that more people would pay to see the view from the top of the mountain. Morton was successful, however, in widening the existing road to two lanes and improving the quality of access.
In 1946, Hugh Morton, the eldest son of Julian and Agnes, returned from duty as a United States Army newsreel cameraman in the South Pacific and took over his late father's duties as president of the Linville Company. Morton envisioned a road leading to the crest of the Grandfather with a bridge across to Linville Park, but family stockholders disputed Morton's premise that more people would pay to see the view from the top of the mountain. Morton was successful, however, in widening the existing road to two lanes and improving the quality of access.
In 1885, Hugh MacRae graduated from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and set off to pursue to a career as a mining engineer at the mica mines on Bailey Mountain in Mitchell County near Spruce Pine. He soon found his way on horseback into Avery County and was so overwhelmed by its beauty that he immediately wrote to his father Donald MacRae in Wilmington for the funds to purchase 15,750 acres encompassing Grandfather Mountain, parts of Sugar Mountain, Grandmother Mountain and Flattop Mountain. Most of the tracts purchased between 1885 and 1890 by MacRae belonged to Walter Waightstill Lenoir, grandson of General William Lenoir, for whom the town of Lenoir is named. In 1889, Hugh MacRae founded the Linville Improvement Company and began development of the first North Carolina mountain golf course and the resort community of Linville at the foot of Grandfather Mountain. In 1891-92, MacRae built the Honahlossee (pronounced "yon-a-la-see," Cherokee for "trail of the black bear") Road from Linville across the eastern slope of Grandfather to Blowing Rock, opening his resort to personal transportation. He also founded a stagecoach ilne across the 20 mile scenic route that today is known as US 221. There was a horseback trail up the slope of Grandfather to an overlook known as "Cliffside,", and in the early 1900s, MacRae's son Donald and Julian Morton, husband of Agnes MacRae Morton, widened this path into a one-lane road that was passable by automobiles. A wooden viewing platform was constructed and a nominal toll was charged to those who wished to travel to the spectacular view from Grandfather.
In 1946, Hugh Morton, the eldest son of Julian and Agnes, returned from duty as a United States Army newsreel cameraman in the South Pacific and took over his late father's duties as president of the Linville Company. Morton envisioned a road leading to the crest of the Grandfather with a bridge across to Linville Park, but family stockholders disputed Morton's premise that more people would pay to see the view from the top of the mountain. Morton was successful, however, in widening the existing road to two lanes and improving the quality of access.
In 1946, Hugh Morton, the eldest son of Julian and Agnes, returned from duty as a United States Army newsreel cameraman in the South Pacific and took over his late father's duties as president of the Linville Company. Morton envisioned a road leading to the crest of the Grandfather with a bridge across to Linville Park, but family stockholders disputed Morton's premise that more people would pay to see the view from the top of the mountain. Morton was successful, however, in widening the existing road to two lanes and improving the quality of access.
