In the breakfast room of Sean Couch’s grandfather’s house hung a photograph of a black bear. Sean remembers seeing it every day while growing up. His grandfather, Jesse Couch, who raised him, would tell Sean stories about that black bear, whose name was Mildred, and about his buddy, Hugh, who took the photo. Jesse met Hugh at Camp Yonahnoka in Linville, N.C., as a young boy and the two developed a lifelong friendship that grew as they did. Sean tucked those stories and memories away for safe keeping.
“The connection my grandfather had to Hugh Morton was very apparent from a young age,” said Sean. “It was not until much later in life that I realized the true depth of impact and influence Mr. Morton had not only on my grandfather’s life, but on our entire family.”
Fast forward to 2024. Sean, who is president and co-trustee of the J.W. Couch Foundation, which his grandfather created, reached out to Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation (GMSF) about a grant opportunity that would honor Jesse and Hugh’s friendship and their shared passion for photography, storytelling and caring for the natural world.
“In many ways, I believe Mr. Morton influenced my grandfather’s passion for conservation and photography,” said Sean. “Their lifelong friendship has continued to influence my own passion in the same areas, which drive our foundation’s work forward with what I hope would match their level of commitment and determination.”
A grant from the J.W. Couch Foundation enabled GMSF to create a 30-minute documentary telling the story of Grandfather Mountain through a variety of voices, all of which provide differing insights.
“Our intention with the documentary was to tell the story of Grandfather’s past and to honor the park’s founder, Hugh Morton, while also putting a heavy focus on the evolution of our nonprofit and the vision we wish to carry into the future,” said Jesse Pope, president and CEO of GMSF.
The film will be shown as part of a one-hour video loop in the Hodges Theater located inside the Wilson Center for Nature Discovery. We are grateful for the support of the J.W. Couch Foundation as it has allowed us to create this film that offers guests new insights into Grandfather Mountain’s past and vision for the future.