Walasi-Yi Inn
About this property
The Walasi-Yi Interpretive Center is a small stone building located along US 19/129 at Neels Gap, Georgia, United States, on the eastern side of Blood Mountain. It is notable as the only place where the 2,175-mile-long Appalachian Trail passes through a man-made structure. It is currently the first mail-drop available to northbound thru-hikers that does not require one to leave the trail. Originally a log structure built by a logging company, the building took its present form during the 1930s when it was rebuilt by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC). It served as a restaurant and inn until 1965, when it was abandoned. Soon after, the building was rented by an artist group who used it until 1969 when it was again left vacant. By the mid-1970s the building was slated for demolition, but a group of conservation-minded locals lobbied successfully for its inclusion on the National Register of Historic Places in 1977. Spared from destruction, the building served as an irregular store to hikers and tourists until 1983 when Jeff and Dorothy Hansen took over management of what became known as Mountain Crossings at Walasi-Yi. In the 1990s, the store was operated by Peggy and Justin. Famous travel book author Bill Bryson visited the store for his book “A Walk in the Woods“. The building was then leased and operated by Winton Porter from 2001 to 2013. Porter wrote a book about his experiences and the unusual events and characters he saw there called Just Passin' Thru (2009). It is currently operated by Logan and Georganna Seamon. Currently, in addition to the outfitter the Walasi-Yi center offers a hostel. The bunks in the hostel are at a premium in early spring when the vast majority of northbound thru-hikers are traveling through northern Georgia. Media related to Walasi-Yi Interpretive Center at Wikimedia Commons
Location
Categories
Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).
Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
Everything a full report reveals about Walasi-Yi Inn
This page lists Walasi-Yi Inn. A full Aubrey report for an address near it pulls together this listing alongside battlefield records, land patents, and every other historical record within a chosen radius:
Every location is different. Not every section appears for every place, only what the historical record actually holds turns up in a report.
Nearby Battles
Questions about this property
When was Walasi-Yi Inn listed on the National Register?
Walasi-Yi Inn was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on January 12, 1979.
What type of historic resource is Walasi-Yi Inn?
Walasi-Yi Inn is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.
What is the period of significance for Walasi-Yi Inn?
The period of significance for Walasi-Yi Inn is recorded as the industrial era.
Can I research the history near Walasi-Yi Inn?
Yes. Aubrey Research reports search National Register listings, battlefield records, land patents, and other primary historical sources within any radius of a US address. A report for an address near Walasi-Yi Inn will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.
More in Union County
Historic places, battles, and census history across Union County.
Explore UnionCounty ›Research the history near this site
An Aubrey US report for an address near Walasi-Yi Inn will include this listing alongside battlefield records and other historical sources within your chosen radius.