Here’s the ATC newsletter for today, August 14. There are a number of articles discussing Benton MacKaye, the visionary who conceived the trail. As most of you know, the trail begins in Fannin County. Here’s a link to the newsletter:
https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/#search/ATC/FMfcgzQhVrHKBNwJcFlKdkwklpNcfWhN
And here is a link to the feature on Benton MacKaye, which includes his article proposing the trail in the October 1921 edition of the Journal of the American Institute of Architects along with a photo of his original sketch of the trail:
https://appalachiantrail.org/news-stories/an-appalachian-trail-a-project-in-regional-planning/