Mil» Jennie Renmger, -ho odopled the town in
1966 ond bceomc its offkial cleon-up lody, -oiks
the 2.5 mile »ollcy picking up trosh. Here she is in
her "Moggie” outfit. (The Town of Moggie -os
named for Moggie
Мое
Seller, the postmoster's
daughter, in 1909.)
The Heroes Of
Maggie Valley
Meet some of the folks who give this
place its flavor.
By CAROL
Maggie Valley, located high in the
Smokies, has its scenic beauty, tourist
attractions, friendly people — and liv¬
ing legends. Those who “walk tall" in¬
clude gunslingers, snakchandlcrs,
equestrians, musicians, doggers, coun¬
try philosophers, and philanthropists.
From April through November, the
most visible legend is “Miss Jennie"
Reninger. a 78-year-old former rancher
and businesswoman who adopted the
town in 1966 and became its official
clean-up lady. Dressed in a long dress
and sunbonnet to portray "Maggie", she
walks the 2.5-mile valley picking up
trash. Two years ago she bought $5.000
worth of trash cans bearing the Mag¬
gie logo for the town and last summer
kept busy making and emptying ciga¬
rette "butt" cans (recycled aluminum
containers). Her warehouse is an open
trailer behind the Soco Gardens Zoo.
"Home" is a trailer parked on Easy
Street at the Happy Valley campground.
It used to be a small Avion trailer,
which she pulled thousands of miles.
During the winter months Miss Jennie
resides in Florida.
"This is my dining room and this is
my living room;" she says, pointing to
a picnic table and a hammock slung
between two trees near the creek.
An award-winning ballroom dancer.
Miss Jennie is a regular spectator at the
"Stompin’ Ground" nearby. Her other
favorite haunts are The Swag (a coun¬
try inn) and Cataloochee Ranch.
"Miss Judy”
Another well-known lady about town
is “Miss Judy” Alexander, who with
her husband Tom opened Cataloochee
Ranch in 1934. The 1, 000-acrc ranch
borders the Great Smoky Mountains
National Park, which is celebrating its
50th anniversary this year. The tradi¬
tions which they started — daily trail
rides and week-long pack trips into the
Smokies, as well as square dances and
the serving of Cataloochee punch — are
ongoing. Though Miss Judy has turned
TlitlBLIft
the operation over to her two daughters,
she’s still a viable force around the
ranch. Guests sit in awe of the stories
she tells at dinnertime. (Another leg¬
end associated with Cataloochee Ranch
is Todd Henry, a’traii guide known for
his bear stories and tall tales.)
Father Murphy
Like Miss Jennie and Miss Judy. Fa¬
ther Murphy, a former Detroit berry
farmer, fell in love with the valley when
he came here in 1950 and stayed, pour¬
ing his love and money' into the building
of St. Margaret's Catholic Church at the
western end of town. When he was 80,
he became the only priest in the United
Slates — perhaps the world — to be or¬
dained in a self-built church. Father
Murphy continues to assist with ser¬
vices at ihe ripe old age of 92. During
the summer as many as 500 attend St.
Margaret’s weekly.
"This church has been a great bless¬
ing to me." he says.
The Stompin Ground
Another Maggie Valley builder is
Kyle Edwards who in 1982 constructed
the Stompin’ Ground after scrimping
and saving for 25 years. The
20.000-square foot all wooden music
hall, the "clogging capitol of the
world," attracts hundreds of patrons
THE STATE. SEPTEMBER 1984
Min Jenmo ond one of the $5,000 worth of troih
con» ihe bought for Moggie She olio is
о
regulor ot
the "Stompin’ Ground" (right). — photoi b> Bruee
Henilcy.
26
