Story Setting and Background

The story takes place between the years 1926-1946 and is written in the language of the mountain people of that time and those with the beautiful Southern drawl from the Deep South that moved into the area. It is a return to the times that used to be, but will never be again.

Families and Migration

Two families, the Kidwells from Alabama and the Wilsons from Tennessee and Ohio, move into a small town deep inside the Great Smokey Mountains called Hamilton, Tennessee, from different backgrounds and for different reasons, but with only one motive, to make a new life for themselves.

Life and Experiences

The children grow up sharing life's experiences with each other and their newfound friends. Love, marriage, births, disappointments, and death become a part of their lives. The loving parents struggle with the hardships of a deep depression that gripped the country at that time.

Impact of World War Two

With the onset of World War Two, many changes come into their lives, some good, some bad, but they would survive because they already knew what hard times were like.

Family Backgrounds and Occupations

The Kidwells from Alabama are loggers that come into the Cove to harvest much needed timber for their company. The Wilsons move back to Tennessee from Ohio to get away from the harsh winters that cut into their earning power as carpenters.

Wilson Family Changes

The patriarch of the Wilson family must give up his work as a carpenter for health reasons, buys a small farm, and returns to his younger days as a tobacco farmer.