WAYNESVILLE, N.C. — A missing piece of history in the mountains is making its return.

Waynesville once welcomed visitors as a “Gateway to the Great Smoky Mountains.”

“I grew up hearing the stories of what was here and what was there,” historian and Downtown Waynesville Advisory Committee Chairman of Events Alex McKay said. 

Waynesville is home to McKay. His family has been in Haywood County for seven generations. Now, on the town’s historic preservation commission, his studies help keep those stories alive.

“The Smathers building still looks the same, except for the awnings, and the rest of them down through there are largely the same as in this picture,” McKay said, as he pointed out the changes in downtown Waynesville. 

A significant thing in the reference picture was not the same — the “Gateway to the Great Smoky Mountains” sign.

“I can still feel the excitement of coming to Waynesville and seeing the arch,” Downtown Waynesville Association Member Joyce Massie said. 

“Giving historical talks about the town of Waynesville, I always ask if they have any questions about something historical in the town of Waynesville, and the arch is always asked about,” McKay said. 

The arch was taken down in 1972. 

“It cost $250 [at the time],” McKay said. “Well now, it’s $200,000. That tells me why it never was put back up. It was just the sheer cost.”

“What I do remember, is my whole life growing up here, hearing and talking about the arch, and this feeling that we really wanted to see it come back,” Waynesville Town Council Member John Feichter said. 

Two years ago, the possibility of it coming back didn’t seem so distant anymore.

“The person who could give us the go ahead, I had no idea was standing right beside me when I said, ‘you need to talk to somebody and let them know how bad this town wants that arch. Tell me who to talk to,’” Massie said. 

After studying, hearing and sharing stories about this arch, McKay almost couldn’t believe it would return. 

”I was still skeptical until I saw it in writing from the state,” McKay said. “I didn’t want to put my, you know, put my full heart into it.”

He did see it in writing, and it, in fact, was happening. 

“We’ve changed this design to dogwoods that more fit western North Carolina, but so wind can actually move through the sign instead of it just being stationary,” McKay described the appearance and construction plan for the new sign.

With the support of the community, they reached their monetary goal.

“Even 50 years later, I’ll know I’m in town when I see that arch,” Massie said.