On a surprisingly warm January evening, Julia and accomplice/roommate/friend Carter "tricked" John into going down to the glen to take "promotional band photos". Call it whatever you like, but it was the best plan Julia could think of for getting dressed up and having a camera in the background be less suspicious to John. The glen is what we like to call the grassy, treelined area where we will exchange vows and celebrate with family and friends. However, this place has much more history and importance to it, so we asked Dr. Barbara Duncan to share some of it for everyone to acknowledge and appreciate too. Just north of the glen, look across the river, and you will see the field where the town of Tessentee stood. Cherokee trails on both sides of the river connected towns from Dillard through Franklin and beyond—past the town of Cowee. Tessentee, like other Cherokee towns, included solidly built mud houses roofed with bark or thatch, summer arbors, storehouses, and hot houses (sweat lodges). It was surrounded by hundreds of acres of cornfields, gardens, and orchards, and had extensive canebrakes along the river. The glen and the river trails through it would have seen action in two historical battles in 1760 and 1761, when the British Army invaded the Cherokee Nation. Just south of the glen, more than 2,500 British troops, Scottish Highland regiments, and a few colonial militia fought with thousands of Cherokee warriors. Led by Oconostota, the Cherokees chose their terrain wisely and attacked the British where the hills nearly met the river. They defeated the British. In 1761, and the Cherokees engaged them in the same place but ran out of ammunition. The British broke through and carried the fight up the river, where they camped at the town of Nikwasi, now Franklin. They departed after a month and Cherokees continued to live here. On Highway 441 south of Otto historical markers describe “Cherokee Victory” and “Cherokee Defeat.”

John and Julia met the old fashinoed way on the apps. Julia sent the first message in response to John's personal description as "music nerd", saying "from one nerd to another, hi!" Julia, not being a music nerd herself, just a regular math/science (specifically as it relates to water and wastewater), thought this was both cute and clever. Apparently it was charming enough that John responded, and communications continued. Our first date was approximately February 3, 2018. We met on a sidewalk in downtown Asheville, planning to go for drinks at a place that was unfortunately closed that night. Julia introduced herself with her signature firm handshake and strong eye contact, which she thought was a great start. However, John considered this a sign that she had zero romantic intentions and demonstrating she could 100% beat him up (the last part is probably fiction, but Julia is in fact the strongest.) John suggested going to the Aux Bar instead, and they ended up having a lovely time that night.