Tucked into North Carolina's Smoky Mountains, Palmer Chapel is the only church found in Big Cataloochee. The Methodist denomination was chosen by its settlers. Today the Secretary of the Interior insures protection of this historic chapel found in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
The area is rich with history, such as Appalachian herb doctors, chestnut trees, square dances, split rail fences, circuit riders (preachers), hard cider, biscuits and gravy, clogging, and moonshine stills. Militia men, brought in to stop Indian raids of 1776, saw the beauty of this area and decided to settle in Haywood County. Today, being within the boundaries of a national park, the Cataloochee Valley area is uninhabited and only a few original homes remain.