The Oral History Perspective
Otealia Baldwin John P. Cunningham Marshall Fouts Doris Lynch
Melba R. Nevius Frank Nevius Tommy Norton Ken Stonebraker
James Vinson John Waldroop

Nantahala Power Light was a powerful and influential force in the development of many western North Carolina communities. From its inception, the company fostered changes in the lives of the people and communities it served. Over the years, NP&L became a vital part of its service area and an important factor in the development of the western North Carolina region.

The following narratives are a result of oral history interviews with several life-long residents of the NP&L service area. Most of the people interviewed have lived in the area all their lives, several are retired company employees, and all remember life before electricity came to the mountains. Their memories provide a unique perspective of the effects that rural electrification and Nantahala Power and Light brought to their lives and their communities.

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