Mountain History

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     Before there was a hotel or a camp or a great modern community, this beautiful White Oak Mountain top location had a fascinating history. The story is told that during the American Revolution, British Redcoats used the Cherokees to raid pioneer homesteaders. After three bloody massacres, Captain Thomas Howard organized a campaign against the Cherokee.  At his side was an Indian named Skyuka who led Howard and his men over a secret trail that led to the defeat of the Cherokee in 1776. While Skyuka was considered a hero to the white man, he was a traitor to his own people. Some say that the friendship between Captain Howard and Skyuka came about when the Captain saved Skyuka from a rattlesnake bite when Skyuka was a young boy. However, the allure of White Oak Mountain dates back much earlier. Archaeological evidence reveals that members of the Cherokee Nation were in the foothills and mountains of Western NC 11,000 years ago. The land was a rich hunting ground, full of edible plants and berries and plenty of fresh water. The legend of the Indian named Skyuka is reflected in the naming of a hotel, a summer camp, several roads, and a creek.

     Mrs. Bradley remembers that the kitchen had two large stoves and her mother did the cooking, serving delicious cornbread, biscuits, green beans, Irish potatoes, old fashioned gingerbread , and deep apple and blackberry pies. She reflects that some people would come up for a picnic and some would stay for several days. “For those who stayed, there was good, fresh spring water, fresh air, good fresh vegetables and all the outdoor exercise they needed.”

In the 1940’s, the once popular hotel was torn down and the 99 plus acres surrounding the hotel were sold to the YMCA of Spartanburg. Local historian, Garland Goodwin, reminisces, “As a child growing up here, I thought the mountains belonged to everybody. When I asked Uncle Ethan about the big white square visible even in summer on White Oak Mountain, he said that it was the huge Skyuka Hotel. Naturally, I wanted to see it, so my mother packed lunches for my brother Bill and me and we set out with Uncle Ethan to climb the mountain. There were well-marked bridle trails all over the area, including the mountains. Riding and hiking on the mountain was a cherished activity enjoyed by all able-bodied folks back then. We drank water from the streams and waterfalls. No one ever got robbed or killed that I heard of. There were indeed some places that we knew not to go because moonshiners were active there and did not welcome visitors. Maybe that’s why the bridle trails were well marked.”  When Camp Skyuka first opened its doors in 1954, it was touted as an “Outdoor Paradise in the Clouds.” The much loved camp director was Evans Cannon, the general secretary for the Spartanburg YMCA.

     “The first trip to the camp was sort of magical for a young boy like me. We took a bus up to a spot below the mountain. There we were met by the pick-up truck from the camp. We piled in the back of the open pick-up with our luggage. We then proceeded to ascend the tremendously steep gravel road to the camp. The truck bounced and clattered up the steep grade. It was so cool! I was actually terrified the first time. The road was very rough and rutted and only suited for trucks. I remember my ears popping from the altitude change and the coolness of the shaded mountainside, finally reaching the camp with relief that we didn’t plummet to our deaths down the steep slopes! On first sight, the camp was a wonderment and utterly beautiful. The amazing view from the pavilion was like looking off the side of the world. And, when a thunderstorm would come across the mountain, you thought it was the end of the world! Mr. Cannon made the camp the magical place that it was. He was a masterful story teller and one of the prime events of the summer camp was the ghost stories told around the bonfire. His stories scared us to death. The meals were excellent. The warm summer days of swimming, hiking and crafts melted into cool nights of bouncing on the trampoline at the pavilion and roasting marshmallows over the camp fire. It was a great experience. The people that made it all possible for underprivileged children really need to be honored. They are true heroes.”