The Economic Times

In 1929, a Tennessee farmer refuses to sell his 375-acre farm for Great Smoky Mountains National Park for $20 an acre. After years in court, he lost the farm but got more than double the amount

Despite his refusal to sell, John W. Oliver's fight against the government's eminent domain claim for his cherished farm lasted years. Ultimately, the Tennessee Supreme Court permitted the land acquisition process to move forward. While he gained a larger financial compensation, he ultimately lost his beloved 375-acre property, epitomizing the struggles surrounding the park's establishment.