Linville Gorge is a highly unique geological element located on the western side of North Carolina, and in the southern Appalachian region. The ruggedness of the surrounding terrain prevented the area from deforestation, unlike the town of Linville 12 miles to the north, which earned the appellation “Stump Town” from high-intensity logging practices. Before the colonization of the English, this land was home to Cherokee people. Their name for the Linville River is “Ee-see-oh” which translates to “river of many cliffs”. It attracts plenty of hikers seeking a challenge given the steep climb and is home to a widely diverse animal and plant population. These animals include bears, otters, beavers, and deer who were all hunted for their fur, a valuable commodity at the turn of the 18th century. William Linville, for whom the river is named after, is theorized to have been killed for said furs.