Booth at the Cherokee Indian Fair

People stand at a booth filled with Cherokee baskets located at the Cherokee Indian Fair on the fairgrounds in Cherokee, NC. The fair is an annual event that formally began in 1914, lasting from the first Tuesday in October through Friday. Historically, the fair has been an important social and cultural gathering in the life of the Cherokee community with competitions for food, clothing, and crafts. The photograph was taken by “Doc” Kelly Bennett (1890-1974), a prominent pharmacist in Swain County, NC. Owner of the Bryson City Drug Company, Bennett served as alderman and mayor of Bryson City, on the Swain County Board of Education, as well as several terms as NC State Senator and NC State Representative. He participated in numerous other initiatives and organizations. Known as the “Apostle of the Smokies,” Bennett was an instrumental figure in the movement to create the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. He was also an avid photographer, skillfully documenting a wide variety of people, places, and events in Swain County and the surrounding area