Centennial Spotlight: The race is on
Tense Banks / (news@averyjournal.com)
Every week in 2011, The Avery Journal-Times is celebrating the
100th birthdays of Avery County and Banner Elk with a Centennial Spotlight compiled by members of
the local community. This week, we continue to provide answers to the 100 questions about Avery
County posed in our print editions in January and February. Inside this week’s story, readers
will find answers to questions No. 31, 33 and 92, which were: 31. What did Josiah Wedgwood get
from Avery County?33. What is Avery County's connection to the Indy 500?92. Howard C. Marmon,
designer of the car that won the first Indianapolis 500, spent his childhood at Cloudland Hotel on
Roan Mountain and what Linville inn?
The year was 1911. The automobile, which had been born some 20 years earlier, was becoming more common and more available. Engineers and inventors were improving and adding to the designs of Henry Ford and his contemporaries. And in Indianapolis, Ind., men were even racing these new contraptions. This first Indianapolis 500 was won by Ray Harroun, who drove a yellow car with a long, pointed tail aptly named "The Wasp."
Hundreds of miles to the south, Avery County was living its inaugural year as North Carolina's 100th county. Could the far mountains of the Appalachian's Blue Ridge have any connection to this first high speed race and its winning car?
Howard Carpenter Marmon was born on May 24, 1876, in Richmond, Ind. His father owned and operated the largest manufacturer of roller mills in the world. The Marmons spent their summers at Eseeola Inn in Linville and at Col. Wilder's Cloudland Hotel in Roan Mountain, Tenn. As the way into these areas was on the ET&WNC Railroad, the Marmons became acquainted with Sherman Pippins, an engineer for the train. When in his teens, Marmon was diagnosed with tuberculosis and the doctors insisted he needed a change of climate. His parents sent him to live with the Pippins who became his second family. At his recovery, he left to attend college at the University of California but he never forgot his love for the mountains and her people.
At the age of 23, Howard Marmon in 1902 developed his first car. He went on to design the Wasp, which won the first Indy 500 as well as a later luxury car comparable to the Packard or Rolls Royce of the day. He was the first to mount a rearview mirror and make wide use of aluminum for engine parts making engines lighter.
World War I came as Marmon's cars were being developed and the young man enlisted. He found himself in Dayton, Ohio, where he helped to develop the famous Liberty plane and worked with the Wright Brothers on other aviation projects. He was twice sent to Europe to work with an Italian firm to manufacture airplane engines. Marmon left the military as a lieutenant colonel.
In the 1920s, Howard Marmon moved with his wife to the place he loved, the mountains of North Carolina to make his permanent home. The town of Pineola had been a center of logging and the Ritter Company owned a large country club and acreage there. The Marmons bought this estate, which in time consisted of a 60-acre lake, beautiful hardwoods and lawns, a spacious club which they converted into a home, guest houses, servant quarters, workshop, stable, laundry, a water tower and a gatehouse. The gatehouse later served as home to W.C. Tate, as he began his medical career in the mountains. The Marmon home contained a well-filled library, modern conveniences and furnishings from the Marmon’s many travels abroad. The Marmon estate received many visitors over the years including inventive giants of the day, Henry Ford, Harvey Firestone and Thomas Edison. Howard Marmon also visited and shared engineering ideas with friends and neighbors including Wallace Thompson and his son, Sam. Thompson was also an engineering pioneer and built the first electrical generating plant and dam in Elk Park. His grandson, Marmon Thompson, is a namesake of Howard Marmon.
Marmon was also a conservationist and built Anthony Lake Nursery to provide continued growth of native shrubs and trees as well as a fish hatchery to replenish local streams and rivers with native fish. This is now in part the site of Linville Land Harbor in Pineola. As well, the Marmons were devout Presbyterians and contributed to the building of the beautiful church, which still serves the residents of Pineola.
The manufacture of the Marmon car continued into the 1930s selling for the then high price of $5000. When the Depression hit, there was no longer demand for the luxury car and the company went into receivership. The cars today are highly sought after and collectible. In 1942, the ever-industrious Howard Marmon along with E.R. Ricker of Spruce Pine started Kaolin, Inc. near the Mitchell County line in Avery County. This mine was to provide jobs for Avery Countians for many years to come.
Kaolin is fine, white clay, which is used in ceramics as well as paint, textiles, rubber, refractors and paper. The kaolin clay found here is of the finest in the world. In fact, Josiah Wedgwood had come to this very location in the period just prior to the American Revolution. An Englishman known for not only his fine pottery but also mass production of ceramics, Wedgewood came to the colonies when the Blue Ridge was Cherokee territory. He had heard of the rich clay deposits of the area and came to see for himself. Wedgewood managed to obtained five tons of the fine white kaolin and tried to buy the rights to all of the "Cherokee clay." He soon realized, however, that having someone dig the clay, load it on horseback, get it out of the mountains to the coast, load it on ships and then insure passage to England would be too costly and lengthy. He gave up the plan but is reported to have stated that the porcelain made from the Carolina kaolin was the finest he ever made. It would be 180 years before the Kaolin, Inc. plant would begin operations and would later become a part of the Harris Mining Company. Today, this plant is known as Unimin and operates to mine feldspar, mica and kaolin. The minerals from this area are some of the most important in the United States.
The Marmons lived their lives in their estate known as Hemlock Hedges in Pineola until Mr. Marmon's death in 1943. As the couple had no children, a nephew, Robert Morrison, inherited the Pineola property when Mrs. Marmon died in 1959. Robert Morrison continued his uncle's legacy of contribution to the people of Avery County. Morrison Library was built with funds contributed by him and continues to receive monies from the Morrison Trust. The two hospitals of Avery County, Garrett (Sloop) and Cannon, now merged into Cannon, also receive yearly contributions from the Morrison Trust. The land for Avery County Airport was named Morrison field for Robert Morrison who gave the land from the Kaolin, Inc. original property. At Mr. Morrison’s death in the 1970s, the estate was sold and over the years, the buildings and grounds have fallen into disrepair. As well, vandals have taken many of the artifacts associated with the property.
The nation owes a debt of gratitude to the Marmon family for the visionary contributions to automotive and aviation engineering. Although Howard Marmon does not have the recognition of Ford or Firestone or Edison, he is nonetheless a giant of their caliber. Avery County is fortunate that the Marmons and Morrisons chose to make Avery County their home. It is likely that Mr. Marmon would also say that he was fortunate to have had the opportunity to do so.
The year was 1911. The automobile, which had been born some 20 years earlier, was becoming more common and more available. Engineers and inventors were improving and adding to the designs of Henry Ford and his contemporaries. And in Indianapolis, Ind., men were even racing these new contraptions. This first Indianapolis 500 was won by Ray Harroun, who drove a yellow car with a long, pointed tail aptly named "The Wasp."
Hundreds of miles to the south, Avery County was living its inaugural year as North Carolina's 100th county. Could the far mountains of the Appalachian's Blue Ridge have any connection to this first high speed race and its winning car?
Howard Carpenter Marmon was born on May 24, 1876, in Richmond, Ind. His father owned and operated the largest manufacturer of roller mills in the world. The Marmons spent their summers at Eseeola Inn in Linville and at Col. Wilder's Cloudland Hotel in Roan Mountain, Tenn. As the way into these areas was on the ET&WNC Railroad, the Marmons became acquainted with Sherman Pippins, an engineer for the train. When in his teens, Marmon was diagnosed with tuberculosis and the doctors insisted he needed a change of climate. His parents sent him to live with the Pippins who became his second family. At his recovery, he left to attend college at the University of California but he never forgot his love for the mountains and her people.
At the age of 23, Howard Marmon in 1902 developed his first car. He went on to design the Wasp, which won the first Indy 500 as well as a later luxury car comparable to the Packard or Rolls Royce of the day. He was the first to mount a rearview mirror and make wide use of aluminum for engine parts making engines lighter.
World War I came as Marmon's cars were being developed and the young man enlisted. He found himself in Dayton, Ohio, where he helped to develop the famous Liberty plane and worked with the Wright Brothers on other aviation projects. He was twice sent to Europe to work with an Italian firm to manufacture airplane engines. Marmon left the military as a lieutenant colonel.
In the 1920s, Howard Marmon moved with his wife to the place he loved, the mountains of North Carolina to make his permanent home. The town of Pineola had been a center of logging and the Ritter Company owned a large country club and acreage there. The Marmons bought this estate, which in time consisted of a 60-acre lake, beautiful hardwoods and lawns, a spacious club which they converted into a home, guest houses, servant quarters, workshop, stable, laundry, a water tower and a gatehouse. The gatehouse later served as home to W.C. Tate, as he began his medical career in the mountains. The Marmon home contained a well-filled library, modern conveniences and furnishings from the Marmon’s many travels abroad. The Marmon estate received many visitors over the years including inventive giants of the day, Henry Ford, Harvey Firestone and Thomas Edison. Howard Marmon also visited and shared engineering ideas with friends and neighbors including Wallace Thompson and his son, Sam. Thompson was also an engineering pioneer and built the first electrical generating plant and dam in Elk Park. His grandson, Marmon Thompson, is a namesake of Howard Marmon.
Marmon was also a conservationist and built Anthony Lake Nursery to provide continued growth of native shrubs and trees as well as a fish hatchery to replenish local streams and rivers with native fish. This is now in part the site of Linville Land Harbor in Pineola. As well, the Marmons were devout Presbyterians and contributed to the building of the beautiful church, which still serves the residents of Pineola.
The manufacture of the Marmon car continued into the 1930s selling for the then high price of $5000. When the Depression hit, there was no longer demand for the luxury car and the company went into receivership. The cars today are highly sought after and collectible. In 1942, the ever-industrious Howard Marmon along with E.R. Ricker of Spruce Pine started Kaolin, Inc. near the Mitchell County line in Avery County. This mine was to provide jobs for Avery Countians for many years to come.
Kaolin is fine, white clay, which is used in ceramics as well as paint, textiles, rubber, refractors and paper. The kaolin clay found here is of the finest in the world. In fact, Josiah Wedgwood had come to this very location in the period just prior to the American Revolution. An Englishman known for not only his fine pottery but also mass production of ceramics, Wedgewood came to the colonies when the Blue Ridge was Cherokee territory. He had heard of the rich clay deposits of the area and came to see for himself. Wedgewood managed to obtained five tons of the fine white kaolin and tried to buy the rights to all of the "Cherokee clay." He soon realized, however, that having someone dig the clay, load it on horseback, get it out of the mountains to the coast, load it on ships and then insure passage to England would be too costly and lengthy. He gave up the plan but is reported to have stated that the porcelain made from the Carolina kaolin was the finest he ever made. It would be 180 years before the Kaolin, Inc. plant would begin operations and would later become a part of the Harris Mining Company. Today, this plant is known as Unimin and operates to mine feldspar, mica and kaolin. The minerals from this area are some of the most important in the United States.
The Marmons lived their lives in their estate known as Hemlock Hedges in Pineola until Mr. Marmon's death in 1943. As the couple had no children, a nephew, Robert Morrison, inherited the Pineola property when Mrs. Marmon died in 1959. Robert Morrison continued his uncle's legacy of contribution to the people of Avery County. Morrison Library was built with funds contributed by him and continues to receive monies from the Morrison Trust. The two hospitals of Avery County, Garrett (Sloop) and Cannon, now merged into Cannon, also receive yearly contributions from the Morrison Trust. The land for Avery County Airport was named Morrison field for Robert Morrison who gave the land from the Kaolin, Inc. original property. At Mr. Morrison’s death in the 1970s, the estate was sold and over the years, the buildings and grounds have fallen into disrepair. As well, vandals have taken many of the artifacts associated with the property.
The nation owes a debt of gratitude to the Marmon family for the visionary contributions to automotive and aviation engineering. Although Howard Marmon does not have the recognition of Ford or Firestone or Edison, he is nonetheless a giant of their caliber. Avery County is fortunate that the Marmons and Morrisons chose to make Avery County their home. It is likely that Mr. Marmon would also say that he was fortunate to have had the opportunity to do so.