50th Anniversary of Thru-Hiking, Hot Springs
The 50th Anniversary of Thru-Hiking marker is in the form of a short rectangular pillar constructed of stacked, flat, blocky stones with mortar. It stands approximately six feet tall on a one layer stone base and a stone cap. A single, rectangular stone occupies the upper, center portion of the pillar. The inscription has been carved near the top left. Beneath this is a carved depiction of Earl Shaffer, the first person to hike the entirety of the Appalachian Trail in 1948. In the center is an incised rough map of the trail and the 14 states through which it travels. The bottom right holds the symbol of the Appalachian Trail Conservancy. The marker stands a few feet off the Appalachian Trail which follows a part of Bridge Street in Hot Springs.
Images:
View of the marker in front of the Welcome Center |
Plaque
50 ANNIVERSARY / OF THRU-HIKING 1948-1998
Hot Springs Welcome Center
Circa 1998
35.892580 , -82.827600
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Brown, Jennifer. “First to Hike Appalachian Trail Repeats 50 Years Later,” Durham Herald Sun (Durham, NC), August 2, 1998
Essig, Mark. “The Town That Backpacks Built,” Our State, April 27, 2020, (accessed March 25, 2023) Link
“Appalachian Trail Conservancy – 75th Anniversary of the Completion of the AT,” Appalachian Trail Conservancy, (accessed March 10, 2023) Link
“Appalachian Trail Conservancy,” Appalachian Trail Conservancy, (accessed March 10, 2023) Link
“Welcome Center,” HotSpringsNC.org, (accessed March 10, 2023) Link
Yes
Stone and mortar
Appalachian Trail Conservancy
Earl Shaffer was the first person to hike the entirety of the 2180 mile long Appalachian Trail in 1948. He completed the feat again in 1965. In 1998, at the age of 79, to celebrate the 50th anniversary of his first hike, he again hiked the entire trail. The trail is the longest hiking-only footpath in the world. It is estimated that 2-3 million people visit the trail each year with 2000 attempting a thru-hike. The trail was first completed in 1937. Most of the original trail has been relocated or rebuilt since that time.
The marker is located in front of the Hot Springs Welcome Center at 106 Bridge Street in Hot Springs, NC.
The marker stands on the front lawn of the Hot Springs Welcome Center.
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