1940 Flood in Cullowhee, NC. Photo courtesy of: digitalheritage.org
The photo above is a picture taken after one of many floods that occurred in the Western part of North Carolina in 1940. During this time, the Great Depression was still occurring, and many people were still struggling throughout the nation. If the economy was not bad enough already, the flood of 1940 in Cullowhee, North Carolina made it worse for the local Jackson County residents. This photo is more than just the image of pin-point chaos after a massive flood; it is a representation of what was happening all across Western North Carolina in 1940, the destruction of rurality.
The photo is taken on Old Cullowhee Road, right next to Western Carolina University. The flood was so powerful that it uprooted the bridge which allowed primary access for local residents and students alike to the surrounding areas. At the point when this picture was taken the water had subsided and was on the decline, however, the damage done is clearly evident. Despite all the technology of the time, even in this rural town, nature had its way and won this fight. This is just but one instance of the destruction that was usurping local rural towns through Western North Carolina.
The river shown in the photo is known as the Tuckasegee River, or more commonly referred to by its residents and students as the “Tuck.” The Tuck runs through most of Western North Carolina and it is a favorite for local residents and tourists for white water rafting, kayaking, and tubing. Today, a newer stronger bridge is set in place on old Cullowhee Road. Many residents still live right alongside the river, hoping that it will remain calm, however, residents are always on alert to the dangers that the Tuckasegee River presents. If residents or students ever forget, they can always look to the photos from 1940 as a reminder of what nature can do. Hopefully the Tuck will remain calm, and this tranquil, peaceful, and beautiful rural town of Cullowhee, North Carolina can remain unchanged, incased in all of its rural splendor.