Pineville Chained Rock

4.5/5
(42) · Historical landmark in Pineville, United States
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Reviews

Tripadvisor
4.5/5 · 42 reviews
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Oct 21, 2022
If your target in nature, wildlife, beauty and serenity, there is no better place to visit. While we missed the full fall foliage, enough was present to reveal the majesty of the Pine Mountains! I ha…Full review by 672jaggerc
Oct 21, 2022
Of all the hikes this overweight, middle-aged, father of 5 has been on, this was probably one of the easiest. It is the opposite of almost all other traditional trails. Most hikes begin at the bottom…Full review by 784jaggerc
Aug 7, 2022
We liked exploring this area. There is not much to do, but it was a pretty drive and we got to learn about the history of the area.Full review by 280ambers

Questions & answers

Q:
Why the chain?
A:
Pineville sits in a narrow valley on the old Wilderness Road, beneath a high cliff and a big rock. For years travelers would ask about the rock, and so would local children, fearful …
A:
Pineville sits in a narrow valley on the old Wilderness Road, beneath a high cliff and a big rock. For years travelers would ask about the rock, and so would local children, fearful that it would roll down Pine Mountain and flatten the town. The adults of Pineville would say there was no need to worry; the rock was safely anchored to the cliff by a chain. That was a lie. There was no chain -- because a chain wasn't needed. The rock, despite appearances, was just part of the mountain. In May 1933 some Pineville men were sitting around the courthouse, talking about the town. One of them, Headley Card, said he was tired of lying about the rock and that he wished someone really would put a chain on it. Another man, Pat Caton, said he knew of a chain on a wrecked steam shovel so big that it could be bolted to the rock and seen from the town below. Inspired, the men christened themselves the "Chained Rock Club" the next day. They recruited help from the local Kiwanis, Boy Scouts, and Civilian Conservation Corps. Using mules and human muscle, they dragged the chain -- over 100 feet long and 1.5 tons -- up the mountain, then anchored it to the rock with 30-inch bolts. On June 24, 1933, in just a little over a month's time, the project was complete. A local newspaper ran a story about it, the wire services picked it up, and Chained Rock became a national attraction.
A:
Answer by Rachel G · Oct 7, 2018
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