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History of Basin Cove

DateEvent BriefDescription
January 29, 1834Edward SIZEMOREGrant #6019 from State of NC, 50 acres
June 25, 1834John SIZEMOREGrant #6020 from State of NC, 75 acres
February 3, 1839James Harrison CAUDILLBorn
Abt. 1841Mary Candis TILLEYBorn
August 15, 1844John ALEXANDERGrant #4834 from State of NC, 100 acres
September 19, 1844Andrew McGRADYGrant #5027 from State of NC, 100 acres. The ‘Mill Tract’
March 1855Sarah E. TILLEYBorn
November 1, 1857Lexington G. HALLGrant #5911 from State of NC, 75 acres
July 19, 1859Benjamin CROUSE to George W. CREEDWilkes Deed Book #81, p.361, 100 Acres. (Recorded April 29, 1912 --- about 52 years later). The ‘Mill Tract’
September 13, 1859Henderson CROUSEGrant #6017 from State of NC, 44 acres
October 11, 1859Benjamin CROUSEGrant #6018 from State of NC, 21 acres
August 11, 18601860 Federal Census
Mary TILLEY		Surry County, Nixon’s District, Judesville, p.216, House #473. Mary TILLEY, age 18, enumerated residing in his father’s household.
September 8, 18601860 Federal Census
James Harrison CAUDILL		Wilkes County, Lower Division, Roaring Gap, p.63. Harrison CAUDILL, age 19, enumerated residing in his father’s household.
Abt. 1860James Harrison CAUDILLMarried Mary Candis TILLEY
January 19, 1860Lexington G. HALLGrant #5912 from State of NC, 40 acres
Prob. December 22,1860Jesse ALEXANDERGrant #6062 from State of NC, 100 acres
December 22,1860John ALEXANDERGrant #6063 from State of NC, 75 acres
April 12, 1861CIVIL WARStarted
November 29, 1861William C. CAUDILLBorn (Child #1)
April 1, 1863James Harrison CAUDILLEnlisted (in Wytheville) Virginia 21st Cavalry, 1st Company ‘C’, Peter’s Regiment, Major Hill.
April 1, 1863John Calvin CAUDILLEnlisted (in Wytheville) Virginia 21st Cavalry, 1st Company ‘C’, Peter’s Regiment, Major Hill.
June 30, 1863James Harrison CAUDILLPRESENT, Virginia 21st Cavalry, 1st Company ‘C’, Peter’s Regiment, Major Hill.
June 30, 1863John Calvin CAUDILLAWOL, Virginia 21st Cavalry, 1st Company ‘C’, Peter’s Regiment, Major Hill.
June 2, 1864James Harrison CAUDILL Jr.Born (Child #2)
November 27, 1864Johnson CAUDILL‘Battle of Caudill’s Hill’
December 2, 1864Lewis SEBASTIAN
Johnson CAUDILL
Charlie SHUMATE
Frank RICHARDSON		‘The Massacre at Bell Mountain’
April 9, 1865CIVIL WAREnded
July 24, 1865Martha Louise CAUDILLBorn (Child #3)
February 10, 1868Mary Candis CAUDILLBorn (Child #4)
November 1869John W. CAUDILLBorn (Child #5)
September 26, 18701870 Federal Census
James Harrison CAUDILL		Alleghany County, Cherry Lane Twp., House #36, p.6. Harrison CAUDILL, age 30, enumerated residing next to his sister Mary Lucinda CAUDILL and her husband James Martin SIMMONS. Several CROUSE families live nearby.
November 29, 1871Shadrick Franklin CAUDLEBorn (Child #6)
About November 29, 1871Mary TILLEY CAUDILLDied
Abt. 1872James Harrison CAUDILL and Sarah E. TILLEYUnited.
January 25, 1873Lettie Ann CAUDILLBorn (Child #7)
June 8, 1874Alford Martin CAUDILLBorn (Child #8)
Abt. 1875Sarah J. CAUDILLBorn (Child #9)
February 24, 1876J.T. ALEXANDERGrant #6474 from State of NC, 63 acres
October 20, 1877Benjamin Everett CAUDILLBorn (Child #10)
May 10, 1879Frances J. CAUDILLBorn (Child #11)
May 10, 1879Margaret Ellen CAUDILLBorn (Child #12)
June 7, 18801880 Federal Census
Ruffin CAUDILL		Surry County, Bryan Twp., p.43B; ED 172. Ruffin CAUDILL and Caroline reside in Bryan next to John Calvin CAUDILL and Susan TILLEY CAUDILL.
June 10, 18801880 Federal Census
Thomas M. CAUDILL		Wilkes County, Walnut Grove Twp., p.53C; ED 207.
Aft. August 21, 1880John B. CAUDILLDied
Aft. August 21, 1880Lavisa SMITH CAUDILLDied
April 3, 1882F.H. ALEXANDERGrant #6728 from State of NC, 12 1/2 acres
March 1885Johnson CAUDILLBorn (Child #13)
1886BRINEGAR CabinMartin BRINEGAR Cabin constructed.[i]
December 20, 1887Bettie Catherine CAUDILLBorn (Child #14)
April 20, 1888George Washington CAUDILLBorn (Child #15)
Before 1889Ruffin CAUDILLRuffin CAUDILL acquired the 75-acre John SIZEMORE Grant #6020, 75 acres
September 30, 1889Thomas M. CAUDILLGrant #10091 from State of NC, 25 acres
November 29, 1889Missouri P. WYATT & Patrick R. TAYLOR, her former husband, to Thomas M. CAUDILL184 acres, “… the boundary of three separate grants, adjoining J.H. CAUDILL, Ruffin CAUDILL, et. al., for the sum of $250. Test. J.H. Doughton, Certified F.H. ALEXANDER, J.P.”
December 22, 1889Pheobie CAUDILLBorn (Child #16)
May 1892Laura Alice CAUDILLBorn (Child #17)
September 16, 1894Alford Martin CAUDILL and Frances Jane BLEVINSMarried.
June 1895Kelly CAUDILLBorn (Child #18)
June 1895Kelly CAUDILLDied
September 5, 1895Linnie Famon CAUDILLBorn
June 10, 1896Quincy Green CAUDILLBorn (Child #19)
August 16, 1897Della CAUDILLBorn (Child #20)
June 16, 1898Cynthia Arthusia CAUDILLBorn (Child #21)
Aft. 1900Hugh A. CAUDILLBorn (Child #22)
1904Town of Konnarock, VAGreen Gold: The Story of the Hassinger Lumber Company of Konnarock, Virginia
In 1904, when the Hassinger brothers came from the Penn. county of Forest to the Va. county of Washington with the idea of continuing their father’s lumber business, they liked what they saw: thousands of acres of virgin forest. Two years later, they built a sawmill and a town to support its workers, called Konnarock in Washington County. In less than ten years, the Hassinger Lumber Company was employing over 400 workers, had laid down over 75 miles of railroad track, had built 20 logging camps, and was sawing almost 60,000 board feet of lumber per day. Not only did the Hassinger Lumber Company cut timber in Washington County, Virginia, it also did extensive timbering in neighboring Ashe County, North Carolina, and also sawed timber cut in Watauga County, North Carolina, when the Deep Gap Tie and Lumber Company, located in the Watauga County village of Deep Gap, bought the Hassinger Lumber Company’s Shay locomotive No. 3, sending its logs to the Hassinger sawmill in Konnarock.
January 30, 1908Kester Mack CAUDILLBorn (Child #7)
Bet. January 1809 ~ March 1910Alford Martin CAUDILLRelocated to the Hassinger Brothers logging camp in Konnarock, VA
March 13, 1910Edna Martha Ann CAUDILLBorn (Child #8)
May 4, 1910Alford M. CAUDLEHouse #236, Logging Camp, age 56, Year: 1910; Census Place: Holston, Washington, Virginia; Roll: T624_1651; Page: 13B; Enumeration District: 0118; FHL microfilm: 1375664
May 11, 1910Harvey BLEVINSHouse #247, General Farm, age 56, Year: 1910; Census Place: Holston, Washington, Virginia; Roll: T624_1651; Page: 13B; Enumeration District: 0118; FHL microfilm: 1375664
February 29, 1912Marvin Greene CAUDILLBorn (Child #9), Green Cove, VA
April 29, 1912George W. CREEDRecorded ‘Mill Tract’ transfer.
July 25, 1913Alford Martin CAUDILLWilkes Deed Book #91, p.106, 101 Acres.
Martin CAUDILL purchased 100 acres MOL from his cousin Daniel Columbus CAUDILL. The land is described Harrison CAUDILL to the west, Granville EVANS to the south, the Company to the east, and Squire PRUITT to the north.
The deed states that Daniel Columbus CAUDILL and his wife are in Washington Co., VA. and the JP attesting is a BLEVINS.
December 15, 1913John Franklin CAUDILLBorn (Child #10), Green Cove, VA
January 16, 1916Linnie Famon CAUDILL and Alice ADAMSMarried.
July 15, 1916FLOODDecimates Basin Cove killing Alice ADAMS CAUDILL, Cornelius CAUDILL, Wadie ADAMS
August 5, 1916Linnie Famon CAUDILLWilkes Deed Book #98, p.552, 10 Acres.
Pheobie Jane HOLLOWAY BLEVINS to Famon CAUDILL, 10 acres of land.
August 12, 1916Martin CAUDILLWilkes Deed Book #133, p.71, 108 Acres.
Martin CAUDILL transfers 108 acres to Harrison CAUDILL. Included the ‘Sizemore Tract’ of 75 acres and the Ruffin CAUDILL tract of 33 acres.
Martin acquired the property from his cousin Daniel Columbus CAUDILL, son of Thomas Matthew CAUDILL.
August 25, 1916NPS FormedNPS was formed.
President Woodrow Wilson signed the act creating the National Park Service.[ii]
January 20, 1920Martin CAUDILLHouse #178, Farmer, Year: 1920; Census Place: Walnut Grove, Wilkes, North Carolina; Roll: T625_1329; Page: 10A; Enumeration District: 188
September 15, 1924James Harrison CAUDILLDied
November 24, 1933 Interior Secretary Harold IckesApproves the “park-to-park” highway, a.k.a. Blue Ridge Parkway.
1934The Bluffs Park, conceived by Parkway Resident Landscape Architect and Superintendent Stanley Abbott
August 14, 1935Social Security Administration ActFDR signs the Social Security Administration Act. “Rep. Robert Doughton (D-NC) was chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee. As such he was the principal official sponsor of the legislation in the House.”[iii]
September 11, 1935Blue Ridge Parkway Construction CommencesCumberland Knob
1937Land Acquisition“After the National Park Service (NPS) acquired 5,410.3 acres of land in Alleghany and Wilkes counties in 1937, Abbott began planning the ultimate recreation area.”
1938CAUDILL Cabin Acquisition“The {Caudill} cabin was acquired by the National Park Service in 1938”[iv]
1941BRINEGAR Cabin RestorationBRINEGAR Cabin First Restoration[v], [vi]
1941Maintenance Area ConstructedPark Maintenance Area constructed. (Laurel Springs).[vii]
1947CAUDILL Cabin RestorationCAUDILL Cabin First Restoration completed.[viii],[ix]
1948Coffee Shop and Gas StationCoffee Shop and Gas Station construction began.[x]
1949Bluff Lodge openedBluffs Lodge opened.
1953Bluff Park becomes Doughton ParkIn 1953 the name was changed in honor of Robert L., “Farmer Bob”, Doughton, a former member of the U.S. House of Representatives. He played a key role in the creation of the Blue Ridge Parkway.
January 27, 1956Mission 66 Proposal to include Doughton Park.
Memorandum from NPS recommending addition of an Administration Building, and other tourist attractive amenities, to Doughton Park. (Never realized).[xi]
“Again with the goal of strengthening the highlands-area tourist trade, these plans called for a large number of renovations at Doughton Park. They included a 75-room expansion to Bluffs Lodge, two restaurants, a second entrance, improved road works, and a visitor’s center.[11]”[xii]
Mission 66 Proposal.
1969Doughton Park was considered to be declared National Wilderness in accordance with the Wilderness Act. (Not realized).[xiii]
1975BRINEGAR Cabin RestorationBRINEGAR Cabin Second Restoration[xiv]
1975CAUDILL Cabin RestorationCAUDILL Cabin Second Restoration[xv]
2001CAUDILL Cabin RestorationCAUDILL Cabin Roof Replacement
2009Our State Magazine Caudill Cabin Feature Article
2011Bluffs Lodge closed.
May 10, 2013“Doughton Park closures announced”[xvi] Lodge, Coffee Shop still closed, Trading Post to open.
March 2015Harrison CAUDILL CemeteryHarrison CAUDILL Cemetery Fence Restoration, Boy Scout Troop 250, Hickory, NC
September 2015Bridge at Basin CreekBridge abutments and bridge construction
July 16, 2016Flood Centennial1916 Flood Centennial NPS
Sept. 23, 2018Alvis BLEVINS CemeteryAlvis BLEVINS Cemetery Fence Restoration, Boy Scout Troop 250, Hickory, NC
October 2019NPSVista Maintenance
FOOTNOTES
[i] HAER Report. p. 235.
[ii] https://www.nps.gov/articles/quick-nps-history.htm.
[iii] https://www.ssa.gov/history/fdrsign.html.
[iv] HAER Report. p. 236.
[v] The Unbuilt Blue Ridge Parkway. https://unbuiltparkway.web.unc.edu/unbuilt-projects/doughton-park/.
[vi] HAER Report. p.235.
[vii] HAER Report.
[viii] The Unbuilt Blue Ridge Parkway. https://unbuiltparkway.web.unc.edu/unbuilt-projects/doughton-park/.
[ix] HAER Report. p. 236.
[x] HAER Report. p. 236.
[xi] https://docsouth.unc.edu/blueridgeparkway/overlooks/mission_66/.
[xii] The Unbuilt Blue Ridge Parkway. https://unbuiltparkway.web.unc.edu/unbuilt-projects/doughton-park/.
[xiii] The Unbuilt Blue Ridge Parkway. https://unbuiltparkway.web.unc.edu/unbuilt-projects/doughton-park/.
[xiv] The Unbuilt Blue Ridge Parkway. https://unbuiltparkway.web.unc.edu/unbuilt-projects/doughton-park/.
[xv] The Unbuilt Blue Ridge Parkway. https://unbuiltparkway.web.unc.edu/unbuilt-projects/doughton-park/.
[xvi] Wilkes Journal Patriot. Doughton Park closures announced. May 10, 2013.