Cataloochee Ranch

Description

Cataloochee Ranch was founded by “Mr. Tom” and “Miss. Judy” Alexander in 1933, and was originally located in the serene, and beautiful, Cataloochee Valley. In 1938, Mr. Tom purchased a large part of the present Ranch property on Fie Top Mountain from Verlin Campbell, the “Potato King” of Haywood County. From Verlin he inherited a sturdy stone and log cattle barn, now the main Ranch house, and several derelict cabins and sheds. The eroded pasture land was littered with stumps and old potato crates, but it provided a number of excellent “bold” springs. Its 5,000-foot elevation bordering the Great Smoky Mountains National Park also created the ideal combination of extraordinary mountain views and wonderfully cool summer temperatures. Mr. Tom died in 1972; Miss Judy remained a gracious hostess until her death in 1997. To this day, the Ranch is still managed by the third and forth-generation Alexander family members.