Message from
Cocke County Mayor Iliff McMahan, Jr.

"The Clearest Way into the Universe is through a Forest in the Wilderness."... John Muir

The renowned naturalist and explorer, John Muir, could have been thinking of Cocke County today when he spoke these words so many years ago. We are truly blessed with some of the most beautiful natural resources in the world, and we are often reminded that in Cocke County our "blessings come in 3's and 4's": First, the 3 beautiful rivers that have woven themselves into the fabric of our lives - the Pigeon, Nolichucky and French Broad; Second, the 4 pristine park systems that stand tall as the backbone of our precious national resources - the Cherokee National Forest, the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, the Appalachian Trail and the Martha Sundquist State Forest. And last of our "3s and 4's", the soul of our cultural/heritage traditions and the most precious of all our natural resources, the nearly 34,000 fine folks that have carved a niche, made a life and raised their families here in Cocke County!

For those of you who are just visiting us, please come back sometime when you can stay longer. You really haven't lived life until you experience the quiet serenity of Wolf Creek, the jolt you get when you dip your toes in the chilly waters of Cosby Creek on a hot day, the awesome experience of exploring the vast diversity of wildlife in some of the oldest mountains in the world, the challenging rapids of our own Pigeon River, the satisfaction of dining on some of our native cuisine that just melts in your mouth, or taking in the easy lilts of our own style of Bluegrass and Country Music. I could go on, but I think you get the picture. Trust me, we grow on you. Have a safe journey and we'll be looking for you the next time around! God Bless you!

Sincerely,

Iliff McMahan, Jr.
Cocke County Mayor