A lake of tears : place and identity in the Little Tennessee River valley

A lake of tears : place and identity in the Little Tennessee River valley

Dams -- Environmental aspects

Dams -- Social aspects

Tellico Dam (Tenn.)

Tennessee Valley Authority

Gilmer, Robert Andrew

2006

Denson, Andrew

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

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This thesis examines the connections between place and identity in the Little Tennessee River valley that were demonstrated through the Tellico Dam controversy, 1963- 1979. By analyzing the reactions of local residents, fishermen, environmentalists, and citizens of the three federally recognized Cherokee Indian nations, this thesis argues that the ways these groups identified with and valued the river valley shaped their reactions to the controversy. These values are divided into four main categories: economic, ideological, cultural, and recreational. Supporters of the dam generally saw the economic potential of the reservoir as being paramount, while opponents cited a much wider variety of reasons for opposing the dam. Among the more prominent examples were the sacred value of the river and valley to some Cherokee Indians, the cultural value of the land to the identity of local farmers, and the intrinsic value of preserving the river and the habitats it contained. This thesis draws primarily from the records of the Tennessee Valley Authority, interviews, press coverage, and court records.

2014-09-02

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Tennessee

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