Whitney A. Snow

Lake Guntersville Whitney A. Snow

Guntersville, once called "The Playground of the South," is a lovely city amid the Appalachian foothills. John Gunter came to this area along the Tennessee River in 1785, created a trading post, and married Cherokee Chief Bushyhead's daughter. Around 1818, Gunter's son Edward formed a ferry, which was called Gunter's Ferry, later Gunter's Village, and eventually Gunter's Landing. In 1838, Gunter's Landing was a departure site for Cherokees forcibly sent west on the Trail of Tears. Guntersville was shelled in 1862 and almost completely burned in 1865 by Union forces. Even with this rich history, widespread fame did not descend until the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) created Lake Guntersville in 1939. With the formation of the lake, Guntersville became a tourist haven, one known primarily for fishing and boating but also hydroplane races, beauty pageants, campgrounds, beaches, and Little Mountain State Park (later Lake Guntersville State Park). The city remains one of the most popular lake destinations in the South.