Dan Tompkins : Mountain editor

Dan Tompkins : Mountain editor

Editors

Tompkins, Dan, 1890-1950

Austin, Suelle Reece

1966

Williams, Max R.

http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/CNE/1.0/

application/pdf

manuscripts (documents)

biography (general genre)

Text

61694

https://southernappalachiandigitalcollections.org/object/61694

Limited to on-campus users

Rural, isolated Jackson Country, North Carolina, was that home of Dan Tompkins, editor of the Jackson County Journal of Sylva. Jackson County rests in North Carolina�s Appalachian Ranges. In the early twentieth century her inhabitants were restricted because the dearth of transportation and communication facilities. Many of the limitations on Jackson County folks were removed through the efforts of Dan Tompkins. For thirty- one years Tompkins published an honest paper on the reading level of the citizens of Jackson County. Tompkins was a progressive and active leader of his area. Through the Journal�s editorial column and as representative in the general Assembly of North Carolina, he sought to break down the isolation and bring progress to Western North Carolina and Jackson County. Tompkins dreamed of making Western North Carolina the �Switzerland of America.� His dream could be realized, her felt, if the area had paved roads, tourist accommodations, a national park in the Smokies, better public facilities, and a better education for the mountain people. Tompkins was not just a dreamer, he was a man of action. Therefore, many of Tompkins� dreams were to become realities for Jackson County and Western North Carolina. Dan Tompkins was largely responsible for the paving of Highway 107 from Sylva to the South Carolina line. Because of his heated editorials and active support in the state legislative, Tompkins was an important force in preventing removal of Western Carolina Teacher�s College from Cullowhee to Asheville. Tompkins was also instrumental in getting the state to appropriate money from expanding the facilities of the college. To make realities of this dreams, Dan Tompkins sacrificed any financial success that might have been his. His determination to represent ably the people who elected him to public office was one cause of the folding of the Journal. Tompkins was a most generous individual; he never had very much with which to assist his needy friends materially, but he did possess what was perhaps most needed a smile and encouragement. Tompkins was an asset to Jackson County. His energies were given unselfishly to the benefit of progress for Western North Carolina. Jackson County and the area own much to the powerful pen and influence of Dan Tompkins.

2014-04-28

All rights reserved. For permissions, contact Hunter Library Digital Collections, Western Carolina U, Cullowhee, NC 28723

13345 KB(file size)

89 pages(pages)

Western Carolina University Restricted Electronic Theses and Dissertations