One of the most valuable fences ever constructed in the Smoky Mountains was surely that of Abraham Mingus. When “Uncle Abe,” one-time postmaster and miller, needed rails for fencing, he “cut into a field thick with walnut timber, split the tree bodies, and fenced his land with black walnut rails.”
The variety of fences was nearly infinite. Sherman Myers leans against a sturdy post and rider ([below]) near Primitive Baptist Church. Other kinds of fences are shown on the next two pages.
In this post and rider variation, rails are fastened to a single post with wire and staples.
National Park Service
Mary Birchfield of Cades Cove had an unusual fence with wire wound around crude pickets.
Charles S. Grossman
The Allisons of Cataloochee built a picket fence around their garden.