# Tennessee farmer lost farm after refusing $20 an acre in 1929

2026-08-13T22:47:31+00:00 | World & Diplomacy | Indian Opinion Desk

Corroboration: 1 independent outlet

In 1935, Tennessee farmer John W. Oliver received $17,000 for his 375-acre farm in Cades Cove after a years-long legal battle over land for the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. He had refused the initial offer of $20 an acre in 1929 and challenged the state's authority to condemn his property, but the Tennessee Supreme Court ultimately ruled against him. Oliver's case became a well-known example of the conflict between creating the national park and displacing mountain families. More than 4,000 people across 700 families were affected. While the final compensation of $45 per acre was higher than the original offer, Oliver lost the farm that had been in his community for generations, as reported by Times of India.

## Coverage

- timesofindia.indiatimes.com <https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/us/in-1929-a-tennessee-farmer-refused-20-an-acre-for-375-acres-wanted-for-great-smoky-mountains-national-park-after-years-in-court-he-received-17000-and-lost-the-farm/articleshow/133164671.cms>

Tags: eminent domain, farmer, Great Smoky Mountains, national park, property rights, Tennessee
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Cite: https://indianopinion.org/tennessee-farmer-lost-farm-after-refusing-20-an-acre-in-1929/#story-in-brief

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