The Murphy Branch Railroad – which connected the southwestern counties of North Carolina to the rest of the state – was completed to Canton on Jan. 1, 1882, and reached Waynesville later that same year.
The original railroad was built across the mountains, on a difficult and dangerous grade.
The railroad bed at the top of Balsam Gap – elevation 3,100 feet – is the highest east of the Rocky Mountains. The line was completed to Dillsboro in 1883 and to Bryson City in 1884.
Here, the railroad came to a standstill for a tunnel had been planned through Red Marble Gap.
After the grading for the railroad bed had been completed, it was discovered that the soft rock wouldn’t support the roof and sides of tunnel, and the whole work had to be done over again. The railroad bed had to be placed on a much higher grade in order to pass over the mountain. This serious error cost several thousand dollars and a long delay.
The railroad was completed to Andrews in the summer of 1889 and entered Murphy in 1891. The entire railroad was built by convict labor. The contractor paid North Carolina $125 per year for each convict.
In the early days of the 20th century, the Southern Railroad Company, and the Knoxville and Augusta Branch Railroad built a rail line from Knoxville to Maryville, then to Chilhowee – which was to connect with the Murphy Branch Railroad at Fontana.
These plans never materialized, but a railroad was constructed by the Knoxville Power Company between Calderwood and Tapoco and on to Santeetlah Dam. The railroad was abandoned south of Maryville in 1932.
It wasn’t until July 4, 1925 that a railroad reached Robbinsville from Topton, through the Tallulah Valley.
Marshall McClung is the historical columnist for The Graham Star. He can be reached via email, mcclungs@email.com.