This study had its origin in the desire of a number of agencies interested in the welfare of the people of the Southern Appalachians for a comprehensive survey of present economic and social conditions and tendencies in that region. Such a survey, it was felt was essential to provide the various agencies with a basis for planning their programs.

This volume looks at the natural and human history of North Carolina's Mount Mitchell, part of the Black Mountain range and the highest peak in the United States. It chronicles the geological forces that created this landscape, traces its environmental change and human intervention.