A Mountain to Match
the Pathfinder
.\«nii(kd for
К. (н‘Иу
Krouniiig. ulio
“walked out” every foot of the Itlue
■Kid}!e Parkway route in !\orlh Caro¬
lina.
"Wc pray for men to match our
mountains, but here we select a moun¬
tain — tall and rugged and stately
to match a man.”
It was Representative Roy A. Tay¬
lor of the llth N. C. Congressional
District speaking in ceremonies held at
Watcrrock Knob last month officially
dedicating a mountain which will here¬
after be known as Browning Knob,
honoring the late R. Getty Browning,
who served as location engineer for the
N. (' State Highway Department for
some 40 years, and who became known
as The Pathfinder for the Blue Ridge
Parkway, A commemorative plaque,
mounted on a large native boulder was
unveiled for the occasion.
The hitherto unnamed mountain se¬
lected to “match" Getty Browning had
to be a big one. Browning Knob is a
giant among the Plott Balsams, stand¬
ing almost pcak-to-pcak with Water-
rock Knob, which dominates the range.
Standing at an elevation of 626(1 feet.
the newly-named mountain juts above
the Blue Ridge Parkway in Haywood
and Jackson counties, just cast of
Watcrrock. and 12 miles cast of Chero¬
kee.
In his address to the friends, rela¬
tives and officials gathered in the
shadow of Browning Knob. Rep. Tay¬
lor recalled how Browning had walked
the length of the Parkway in North
Carolina, "and knew and loved every
foot of it.
"From the beginning of the parkway
concept in the early '30's, he worked
tirelessly to see this dream come true.
"In the numerous field trips made to
select the route, including one by then
Secretary lekes and the governors of
North Carolina and Tennessee, his
knowledge and love of the country and
his forceful presentation made such an
impression that the route he proposed
eventually became the parkway today
through North Carolina."
I aylor recalled that when the field
Bro-mne Knob rcon jtnt ro lb* cow of Woler-
io<l Knob, -here dedication ccfemomct -etc
►eld Gion.ille
В
L.lci, Superintendent ol the
Blue Ridge Porl*o* ii ipeobing
hearings were being conducted in 1934
that Browning was selected as spokes¬
man for the North Carolina delegation.
At that time. Browning said:
"I would like to call your attention
to the fact that nowhere else in the
United States, as far as I know, could
such an excellent location for a park¬
way be found, if splendid scenery, high
elevation, profusion of beautiful shrub¬
bery. favorable climatic conditions,
reasonable construction cost and acces¬
sibility for all sections of the country
be considered."
Taylor declared that "time has
proved him right, and today the Blue
Ridge Parkway is recognized as the
best scenic route in the United Stales."
He said that the naming of a beauti¬
ful and stately mountain near the park¬
way as Browning Knob "will be a last¬
ing tribute to a great citizen for his
lasting devotion to the people of North
Carolina and the nation."
And he concluded:
"As long as this Parkway, these
mountains, and people survive, the
name of R. Getty Browning will be
remembered and honored."
In response. Robert Browning, a
son, recalled many anecdotes about his
father who he said tramped over these
mountains, "always with his snake-
stick. his pocket compass, and his little
hand-ax."
He said that his father. Maryland-
born. was known throughout the coun¬
try as "the dean of location engineers."
I dward J. Hummel, assistant direc¬
tor of the National Park Service, who
( Continued on /tage 20 )
ТИС
STATE. JULY IS. 1970
>7
