Nantahala Outdoor Center, on the Nantahala River near Bryson City in North Carolina, opened in 1972 when Payson and Aurelia Kennedy and Horace Holden Sr. took over the old Tote 'N Tarry Motel. From that riverside base in Nantahala National Forest, where the Appalachian Trail crosses nearby, it grew into a major Southeastern outdoor center with guiding, instruction, retail, lodging, and dining. Whitewater has remained central, with rafting on several Southeastern rivers, paddling instruction, and rescue training. The center also became closely linked to U.S. competitive paddling, helping train Olympians and the gold medal-winning C-2 team of Joe Jacobi and Scott Strausbaugh in 1992.