Washington County, Tenn., tax lists, 1787-1790. Collected by Paul M. Fink. [PHOTOCOPIES]

Paul M. Fink (1892-1980) was a native of Jonesborough, Tennessee and lifelong student of the history and culture of Washington County, Tennessee. He had the longtime honor of serving as the Washington County Historian and took to it with enthusiasm and gusto. One of his most significant books was Jonesborough: The First Century of Tennessee’s First Town. In 1912 Fink began extensive hiking in the Great Smoky Mountains. Diaries of these trips were the basis for his book Backpacking was the Only Way. In 1922 Paul Fink made the first airplane flight over the Great Smoky Mountains with Knoxville Aero Corp pilot James G. Ray. Paul Fink had great enthusiasm for the creation of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and the Appalachian Trail. He was an early and ardent supporter of the group of Tennesseans who supported the creation of the park. He was an early proponent of the Appalachian Trail and served as a board member of the Appalachian Trail Conference beginning in 1925. Fink served on the Nomenclature Committee of the new park, which determined the proper names for the all the natural features of the park. His keen interest in history, historic preservation, hiking, and archaeology stayed with him throughout his life. Fink published widely over a long period of time: in his earlier years in outdoor magazines like Field and Stream and later in historical publications like the Tennessee Historical Quarterly. Paul Fink played an important role in encouraging the preservation of the historic city of Jonesborough