tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-68541623120620711592024-03-13T15:28:30.950-04:00Adventures in AppalachiaMy adventures exploring the region I now call home.Andreahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07192847517277411164noreply@blogger.comBlogger10125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6854162312062071159.post-69550832820007812542012-07-04T23:49:00.000-04:002012-07-05T12:22:03.531-04:00This 4th of July, Thank an Overmountain ManUntil 1780, the American Revolution was not going so well, at least not for the American Patriots. In 1780, the British decided to start recruiting troops in the South, believing that many would gladly fight for the crown - mistaking the South's lack of involvement in the war for lack of support for the Patriot's cause.<br />
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What the British failed to take into consideration was the fact that the Appalachian Mountains served as more than a physical barrier between the colonies and the frontier - the Scots-Irish settlers of the Appalachian region were separated from the Cause by a fierce independence and a belief that the politics of the colonies had little bearing on their own lives and interests.</div>
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These Overmountain Men (as they would later be called), would likely have remained out of the war completely, had the British kept away from their homes and territory, but they didn't. And thanks to that decision, the outcome of the American Revolution was very different than it probably would've been otherwise.</div>
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<a name='more'></a>In 1780, General Lord Charles Cornwallis headed South into Georgia and South Carolina, and with the aid and protection of his trusty side-kick, Lieutenant Colonel Patrick Ferguson, proceeded to enjoy some success in recruiting troops and regaining territory for the British.<br />
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This did not sit well with the Overmountain Men - the Scots-Irish settlers of Northeast Tennessee and North Carolina (using today's state boundaries to identify them).</div>
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The Overmountain Men followed Cornwallis and Ferguson, and using guerrilla tactics, harried them endlessly - effectively slowing the progress of the British/Loyalist troops.</div>
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In anger, Ferguson gave chase until the Overmountain Men melted away and back to their homes. At his limit, Ferguson sent a message after them:</div>
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"<a href="http://www.learnnc.org/lp/editions/nchist-revolution/4272" target="_blank">If you do not desist your opposition to the British Arms, I shall march this army over the mountains, hang your leaders, and lay waste your country with fire and sword.</a>"</blockquote>
And that was the moment the Overmountain Men decided to bring the war to Ferguson. Two Patriot militia leaders of the Overmountain Men - Isaac Shelby and John Sevier - called for a muster on September 25th, 1780 at Fort Watauga, located at Sycamore Shoals (near Elizabethton, Tennessee).<br />
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The response was overwhelming - men from Southwest Virginia, North Carolina and Northeast Tennessee all converged at the mustering grounds - approximately 1,000 of them at final count.<br />
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They then proceeded to trek 330 miles to King's Mountain, North Carolina, where they initiated an uphill (literally) battle against Ferguson's nearly equal troop force.<br />
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The battle lasted a little more than an hour and before it was over, Ferguson was singled out by the Patriot militia and shot off his horse by no fewer than seven bullets. At the end of the day, the British lost approximately 200 troops with another 160 or so wounded. The Overmountain Men only lost 28 men with 62 more being wounded in the Battle of King's Mountain - a battle that would later have the Commander-in-Chief of the British forces, General Sir Henry Clinton saying that the battle was <a href="http://www.historynet.com/the-overmountain-men-battle-for-the-carolinas.htm" target="_blank">"'the first link of a chain of evil events' that ended in 'the total loss of America.'"</a><br />
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This decisive battle is one that is seldom featured in history textbooks as more than a passing reference - a battle name in a long list of battles fought during the War for Independence. However, as I was to learn, thanks to a suggestion to check out these Appalachian Patriots by Mrs. Maggie Goad, the Overmountain Men may be the ones that we have to thank for this beautiful America of ours earning its freedom and nationhood, rather than remaining a colony of the British Empire!<br />
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Thanks to some guidance by another friend and supporter of this little blog of mine, I found myself at <a href="http://tn.gov/environment/parks/SycamoreShoals/" target="_blank">Sycamore Shoals State Historic Park</a> a few weeks ago where I was able to explore the scene of at least one part of this monumental event - the location of the Overmountain Men muster.<br />
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At the entrance to the park's Visitor's Center, I was greeted by this gorgeous statue of an Overmountain Man. The picture below shows a close-up shot of the dedication.<br />
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After perusing the Visitor's Center - a great place full of books and reproduction toys, tools and other memorabilia of the 18th century, I headed out the back doors and almost immediately came upon Fort Watauga (or, rather, the reconstructed and relocated Fort Watauga, but who really cares?). </div>
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According to the park brochure, the present Fort Watauga was built to as closely mirror the original as was possible based on historical records and what remained of the original structures at the old site.</div>
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The fort is not at all extensive, but it is fantastic - attention has been given to every detail - even down to the hardware used in the buildings, and the tools and other utensils used on the grounds.<br />
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While visiting the park, I discovered that during the last three weekends in July, the outdoor drama, <i>Liberty! </i>will take place at this site. This outdoor reenactment tells the story of the history of Fort Watauga and Sycamore Shoals from the days of the founding of the Watauga Settlement, to their involvement in the Revolutionary War. For more details, just click on the <a href="http://adventuresappalachia.blogspot.com/p/calendar-of-events.html" target="_blank">Calendar of Local Events tab</a> of this blog, or visit the official website for the drama by clicking <a href="http://www.liberty-drama.com/" target="_blank">here</a>.</div>
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They had even reconstructed a blacksmith's shed and gardens outside the fort walls!<br />
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This park is not only a terrific place to visit, but also a place of national importance. So much so, that it was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1975.<br />
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So as you sit back and enjoy those fireworks this 4th of July, take a moment and remember the contribution of those dedicated patriots who helped turn the tide of the Revolutionary War - the Overmountain Men of Appalachia!</div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-C2zkvzBEIcY/T_UPgDOdqgI/AAAAAAAAAyw/sWZEsDeoD3c/s1600/IMG_2357.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="167" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-C2zkvzBEIcY/T_UPgDOdqgI/AAAAAAAAAyw/sWZEsDeoD3c/s200/IMG_2357.JPG" width="200" /></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-M9wVyY6aQNg/T_UPfoSxDNI/AAAAAAAAAys/fkb6xGRYTfM/s1600/IMG_2356.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-M9wVyY6aQNg/T_UPfoSxDNI/AAAAAAAAAys/fkb6xGRYTfM/s200/IMG_2356.jpg" width="177" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue; font-size: x-large;">And </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000; font-size: x-large;">Happy </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue; font-size: x-large;">Independence </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000; font-size: x-large;">Day!</span></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-mFexlc4PTYk/T_UPe3lUbHI/AAAAAAAAAyk/640nTDVSB5s/s1600/IMG_2355.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="188" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-mFexlc4PTYk/T_UPe3lUbHI/AAAAAAAAAyk/640nTDVSB5s/s200/IMG_2355.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>Andreahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07192847517277411164noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6854162312062071159.post-42270451560000044372012-07-03T23:04:00.003-04:002012-07-05T18:20:31.935-04:00Lumps of Coal Aren't Just for ChristmasCoal has been experiencing something of a comeback in recent history thanks to its improved image as a clean fuel. However, the use of coal as a fuel goes back centuries, as does the mining of this fossil fuel.<br />
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In fact, mining in Scotland began as early as 1210 A.D. The industry was controlled initially by monasteries, and remained so until 1560 A.D. That means that when Scots-Irish settlers arrived in the United States, many of them came with the type of knowledge and experience that would make them ideal employees in America's new coal mines.<br />
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Now when most of us think of coal mining in the United States, places like Pennsylvania and West Virginia probably immediately come to mind. However, according to the <a href="http://www.dmme.virginia.gov/DMR3/dmrpdfs/Coal.pdf">Virginia Department of Mines, Minerals and Energy Division of Geology and Mineral Resources</a>, for the "past twenty years, Virginia has consistently ranked among the top ten coal-producing states in the United States."<br />
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Their report goes on to state that within the Commonwealth, Southwest Virginia is "currently the source of all the State’s coal production. Virginia’s coal is produced from seven counties: Wise, Dickenson, Lee, Buchanan, Russell, Scott, and Tazewell."</div>
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This includes the town of Big Stone Gap which is a part of Wise County. Here are some views of this coal mining town -<br />
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Downtown, where these pictures were taken, I found <a href="http://www.bigstonegap.org/attract/minerpark.htm" target="_blank">Miner's Park</a>, with its statue honoring the many men and women who have worked the coal mines in this area for over one hundred years.<br />
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After checking out the park, I headed to the <a href="http://www.bigstonegap.org/attract/coal.htm" target="_blank">Harry W. Meador, Jr. Coal Museum</a>. </div>
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Coal was first discovered in Wise County in 1751 by Christopher Gist, however, mining did not begin until the 1870s. Even then, very little coal was produced until the railroad system finally reached Wise County in 1892. Coal mining methods have changed drastically in the years since the first mining operations began in the late 19th century - something I was about to see for myself thanks to Mr. Freddy Elkins, our host at the museum, and a 31-year veteran of the mines.</div>
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This is the outside of the museum - I just really loved the mammoth stone chimney. The tree next to it was pretty impressive as well. :o)</div>
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This is the view when you first step into the museum. It's a beautiful old building - the wood and stone give it a warm and homey feel, and even though it was quite hot outside, and the museum had no air conditioning, it was surprisingly cool inside.<br />
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Though it's not large, the museum houses a LOT of mine memorabilia and equipment. You could easily spend a couple of hours looking through it all. </div>
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I don't know about anyone else, but I never knew that coal was used in making aspirin or mint flavoring - especially mint flavoring! The above picture also shows the four different categories of coal - anthracite, bituminous, subbituminous and lignite. The next picture actually shows a nice size piece of unpolished bituminous coal - the type mined in Southwest Virginia. </div>
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This display housed old bank drafts and pay checks from the early days of the mine operations. They were so ornate - not at all like the ones you see today!</div>
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This is an old brass water pump that was used to bring water down into the mines. You can see a picture of it in operation below. On a completely unrelated note, check out the mustache on the guy standing in the background - it seems to me that the brass water pump was not the only thing that needed to be retired from the mines. Ha ha!<br />
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This next picture shows a piece of wood piping used in the mines. The tag is hard to read, but it explains that wood piping was used in "extremely acid water applications."<br />
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This is an explosion-proof phone formerly used in the mines. I don't know how old it is - I couldn't locate a date, but it is in fairly pristine condition. I did wonder if such a phone is still used today - I mean, assuming that explosives are more powerful than they were in the early days of mining, it seems like it would be harder to make a phone that would survive the blasts.</div>
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The area mines used to have a dentist's office and medical clinic available to their employees. This equipment may be old, but unfortunately, it is still very recognizable - it makes you wonder at the apparent lack of progress made in the delivery of dental care in the last hundred or so years! Ouch!<br />
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Medical care has, fortunately, improved a great deal since the time this poster was first put to use. I got a little scared just reading it!<br />
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And speaking of scary things - these two signs really serve to emphasize the uncertainty and risk that is an ever-present part of work in the mines. Especially in the early days when mortality rates were quite staggering. In 1907, over 3,000 men were killed in mine accidents; in recent years, the numbers rarely approach fifty a year.<br />
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On a lighter note, The mining company also used to have a band ...</div>
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... and a "company store." As I typed that last phrase, I had Tennessee Ernie Ford's "Sixteen Tons" playing in my head. I hope you know that song. If not, here it is. It's worth a listen, I promise. </div>
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The museum also had the switchboard from the Stonega Mine. It reminded me of <i>Little House on the Prairie </i>and Mrs. Oleson eavesdropping on everyone's conversations as she manned the board. </div>
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Here was an impressive array of the various models of carbide lamps employed in the coal mines over the years. These proved to be necessary evils because of their extreme flammability when brought in contact with the methane gas that was a constant presence in the mines.<br />
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These two pictures are scale models of the modern underground mining operations in the region. Strip mining is another method common in the area, but it doesn't exactly require a model to explain. Modern underground mining is much more stable as ideas about structural reinforcement have evolved over time. You can see the "gray blocks" interspersed throughout the mine in the picture below. These are actually places where the mountain has not been mined out, but has been left in place to provide stability to the expanding mine shaft.</div>
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Here are some additional pictures of modern equipment and mine operations. </div>
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The helmet, lunch buckets, and other equipment pictured below were all Mr. Elkins personal items from his days in the mine. His helmet was the same helmet he used for the entire duration of his 31-year career.<br />
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Finally, this quilt was made by a local ladies' group and not only is it beautiful, but it also features all of the names of all of the Big Stone Gap miners that worked up until the date that this particular mine was closed. </div>
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The museum not only gave a good picture of the plethora of ways in which coal mining has changed since its inception, but it also powerfully illustrated for me, just how much safety and conditions have improved over the last one hundred years. It was an afternoon well spent, and again, I would recommend a trip to the Harry W. Meador, Jr. Coal Museum should you ever find yourself in Big Stone Gap, Virginia.</div>
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Happy exploring!</div>
</div>Andreahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07192847517277411164noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6854162312062071159.post-5633663168602314192012-07-01T21:09:00.000-04:002012-07-02T17:32:54.784-04:00Big Stone Gap's Little Shepherd of Kingdom Come<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
John Fox, Jr. is one of the most famous residents - past or present - of Big Stone Gap, Virginia. One of his best-known works was <i>The Little Shepherd of Kingdom Come</i>, which was published in 1903. </div>
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<a href="http://www.alephbet.com/pages/books/13795/john-fox/little-shepherd-of-kingdom-come" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-l2fySCnl5TE/T_DXlqSa2HI/AAAAAAAAAg4/onzq1_lPcbA/s320/13795_1.JPG" width="239" /></a></div>
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This gorgeous edition was illustrated by the illustrious (ha ha!) N. C. Wyeth in 1931. Later, in 1961, a <a href="http://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/81590/The-Little-Shepherd-of-Kingdom-Come/" target="_blank">movie</a> by the same name was released. His other famous work was <i>Trail of the Lonesome Pine</i>, written in 1908. This novel was also made into a movie - THREE TIMES! The most recent <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0028401/" target="_blank">version</a>, released in 1939, starred Henry Fonda.</div>
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<i>The Trail of the Lonesome Pine</i> was also turned into an <a href="http://www.trailofthelonesomepine.com/home.htm" target="_blank">outdoor drama</a> in 1964 and has been running ever since. Performances take place Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings from the end of June through August each year at the Trail of the Lonesome Pine Amphitheatre/June Tolliver Playhouse in Big Stone Gap.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The theater seats between 300-400 people.</td></tr>
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Here are some pictures that I took of John Fox Jr.'s home the last time I was in Big Stone Gap. The house is now a <a href="http://www.trailofthelonesomepine.com/home.htm" target="_blank">museum</a>, but only offers tours by reservation.<br />
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When I was there, the screen door into the house was tantalizingly open, but I fought my urge to sneak inside and take a few more pictures. Sadly, this means that while all of my pictures were snapped legally, they only feature the outside of the property.</div>
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The home is on the <a href="http://www.nps.gov/nr/" target="_blank">National Register of Historic Places</a>, and is a source of pride among the residents of Big Stone Gap.<br />
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Despite the feelings of the inhabitants of John Fox, Jr.'s adopted hometown, not everyone is a fan of his work. In fact, quite a bit of controversy surrounds Fox's novels. According to <a href="http://www.encyclopediavirginia.org/Fox_John_Jr_1862-1919" target="_blank">Encyclopedia Virginia</a> (2010):</div>
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Contemporary critics have taken issue with Fox's now-outdated portrayal of the mountain people he chronicled, including his presentation of women as subservient and his contribution to the "mountaineer" stereotype of Appalachian residents. He is regarded as a noted practitioner of the local-color genre, however, which was a dominant mode of American fiction writing after the Civil War, and he is mentioned alongside other local-color writers such as Kate Chopin, Harriet Beecher Stowe, and <a href="http://www.encyclopediavirginia.org/Page_Thomas_Nelson_1853-1922">Thomas Nelson Page</a>. If Fox's stories are now sometimes seen as sentimental toward his Appalachian characters and setting, the same is true of the local-color genre in general and southern regionalism literature in particular.</blockquote>
In short, critics of Fox believe that he did a disservice to Southern Appalachia by helping to create negative stereotypes of its people and culture - stereotypes that would only grow stronger and more prolific as time passed and as ever-increasing numbers of authors jumped on the local-color bandwagon.<br />
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I happen to be a big fan of local-color novels - I love the hope and simplicity that they strive to capture. They are stories about characters who have dreams and goals, and good triumphs over evil. In short, they are very different than popular fiction today. Yes, they may be sentimental, and yes, even sometimes silly, but they are more than that - they are good and wholesome, and in my opinion, well worth reading. And, one last thing - I do not believe that readers are so simple as to base their entire perception and understanding of a region and people solely on what they read in a novel. I think the vast majority of readers are much more intelligent than that.<br />
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So, if you haven't had the pleasure of reading one of John Fox, Jr.'s books, I suggest you do - I certainly plan to. Or, if you should happen to find yourself in Big Stone Gap during the summer, remember to head down to the June Tolliver Playhouse where you can see a little piece of history being acted out right before your eyes.<br />
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Happy exploring!Andreahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07192847517277411164noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6854162312062071159.post-54113682866744234342012-06-28T23:10:00.001-04:002012-06-28T23:37:05.571-04:00The Methodists Are ComingToday, our class went on another excursion. We got to spend some time knocking around Jonesborough - the oldest town in Tennessee (more on that later), and then on to the Blountville/Bluff City area, where we checked out some very old, and very cool log structures with integral ties to the establishment of the Methodist Church in Tennessee.<br />
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Though Presbyterianism was the first to hit Tennessee with the early push of large numbers of Scots-Irish pioneers into the Western frontier in the 1770s, Methodism followed closely behind, and according to modern estimates, fairly quickly surpassed and established itself as one of the largest Christian denominations in the state - where it continues to stand today - second only to the Baptists.</div>
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This time capsule, located at the base of the chimney outside of the chapel shows the date of the establishment of this, the earliest Methodist church in Tennessee - 1784.</div>
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The structure of the chapel itself is interesting. It has three doors, which in an early log structure like this was not exactly common. The only conceivable purpose for this, at least to me, is that two doors were used to facilitate the entrance of male and female congregants separately.</div>
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The heavy stone slabs used for the stairs were impressive to me because of their sheer size and the fact that men, and not hydraulic machines had to move them and place them. Ouch.</div>
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Wooden pews are not the first name in comfort, that is true, however, they are very serviceable, and as these pews demonstrate, they also last. It turns out that these pews were not original to this chapel, they were actually moved from the Adams Chapel which was built to replace Acuff Chapel in 1887. </div>
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The front of the chapel as seen from the front door. The altar, or chancel rail running in front of the pulpit separates the chancel of the church from the rest of the structure. It also serves as a place where congregants would kneel in order to receive Eucharist, or Communion.<br />
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There are two things worthy of notice in the above pictures. First, is the fireplace. The location of the fireplace, at the front of the chapel, was supposedly chosen to encourage congregants to sit in the forward section of the congregation, rather than further back.<br />
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The second point of interest is the slab of stone that you can see resting against the fireplace. It turns out that this is the original headstone of Timothy Acuff, who, along with his wife, Anna Leigh, donated the land upon which this chapel was built. His replacement stone can be seen in the graveyard just outside the church.<br />
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The graveyard is populated with many headstones that are no more than field stones. The markings, if there ever were any, have long since disappeared from the face of most of them.<br />
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I had to take a picture of Micajah Adams' headstone, not only because he was one of the founding members of the Acuff Chapel, but also because he was a veteran of the Revolutionary War.</div>
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And then there was the grave of Timothy Hamilton. I couldn't pass this one by because of the BIG HOLE where the body of Mr. Hamilton should be resting. You can't see it very well from this angle, but the hole was quite impressive in size. It really kinda looks like this guy tried to get out! Ha ha!<br />
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The next stop on our trek was the Edward Cox House near Bluff City. This home was built (as you can see on the sign) in 1774 by the aforementioned Edward Cox - a convert to Methodism who immediately began to host Sunday meetings in his home upon its completion.</div>
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This house has two separate sections joined by a walkway on each level. This was a very rare structural style in early log homes in East Tennessee built during the early frontier push of the late 18th century.</div>
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Here's a view from the second story. Not a bad view - especially if you consider that a paved road and power lines would not have been muddying it up then like they are now.</div>
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Apparently people were considerably shorter than me back in the late 18th century - I had to duck quite a bit to get through the second story doorways of this home. Thanks to my professor, I also remembered to duck on my way OUT - something I had apparently quite forgotten needing to do during my brief explorations of each of the upstairs rooms.<br />
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From the outside, this structure appears to be in excellent condition, with even the chinking (that beige-colored stuff you see between the logs) appearing quite new. Well, if it looks new, it's because it is. The United Methodist Church is actually currently working to renovate and restore this landmark which they consider a shrine of their faith due to its significant involvement in the early Methodist movement in Tennessee.</div>
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This picture shows an open space where the chinking has not been replaced yet. I don't have a picture of it, but before putting in the mud, the contractors put pieces of wood in at an angle so when the space is full, it looks like a series of half-tipped dominoes. That makes for a pretty substantial foundation for the mud to cling to.<br />
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The interior of the rooms were in complete disarray because, as I said, the home is currently undergoing extensive renovation. </div>
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Oddly enough, Edward Cox's headstone was sitting in the middle of the floor in the ground room on the side of the house that was presumably used for church meetings.<br />
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I like this old iron eye hook and padlock that was hanging on the wall. They reminded me of the fact that for a pioneer in the 18th century, there would be no Ace Hardware or Lowe's to run to and buy things like this when you realized you needed them. The frontiersmen had to make everything that they would have need of unless they brought it with them, or were fortunate enough to live near a town, which in the frontier does not seem likely at all. That is, after all, why they call it the frontier, right? :o)</div>
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I had to take a picture of the log joins because each side was done differently. I thought that was a bit odd since the home was supposed to have been built all at the same time. I don't know the reason for the disparity - it makes me wonder if Cox had help building his home, and if perhaps a different group took responsibility for completing each side. On the side of the house shown in the left-hand picture, the builders seem to have used a diamond join. The side of the house pictured on the right appears to use a v-notch for the most part, though you'll notice that there is a spot in the middle where the two beams just lay on top of each other. Both styles of notching were very popular among the early settlers to this region, as it was a style often employed in Pennsylvania from whence many of the settlers originally migrated.<br />
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The Cox family was very fortunate to have a natural spring so close to their property. This saved them the back-breaking task of attempting to sink a well in a terrain riddled by rock and clay.<br />
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Lastly, when a fellow student and I headed across the street from the Cox house to investigate the spring, we noticed this modern "artifact" nearby. After being dared to open the outhouse, I cautiously approached the door - images of snakes streaming out the second the door opened a crack filling my head as I crept closer and closer. I turned the wooden latch and the door creaked open and... no snakes! Whew! </div>
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There also were no facilities. Turns out our outhouse was nothing more than a prop. Though it was not, as one might reasonably (if in this case incorrectly) assume, uninhabited. It was in point of fact, rather full of wasps. While I was busy bemoaning the lack of equipage in this faux outhouse, my classmate had the presence of mind to close the door, thereby limiting our chances of getting stung before we could beat a retreat back to the rest of the group. </div>
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And that's it for now. Happy exploring!</div>Andreahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07192847517277411164noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6854162312062071159.post-78090943627997856202012-06-26T21:20:00.001-04:002012-07-05T12:34:27.242-04:00Ghosts of Abingdon - Part IIOkay, there were far too many places to share last time, so I decided to end at the cemetery. Today, we'll pick up our tour again on Main Street. The first place I stopped was the Fields-Penn house.<br />
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Like many of the homes on Main Street, this house was built in the Federal or Georgian style. Not exactly a pioneer's cabin, but it shows how much things can change in 100 or so years!</div>
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<u>Note</u>: Federal style architecture was a spin-off of Georgian architecture and was created by three Scottish brothers of the name Adams.</div>
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I love the details of the window, and the idea of shutters that actually, well, shutter! The green of the shutters is a very classic early American color - I wonder if they are the color they were painted originally?</div>
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This lawn decor was not around in the 1860s, but I do love it. :o)<br />
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The back garden. The water pump was so cool that I had to take a closer shot. It looked a little art deco to me, so it makes me wonder if it was a later addition to the property.<br />
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More Georgian/Federal/Adams-style buildings on Main Street.<br />
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This little building seemed strangely out of place, sandwiched among the others as it was. The style was completely different as well. Its features seem to belong to the Victorian Gothic Revival style of architecture which was popular from the 1840s to the 1860s.<br />
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Nearby was this rather forlorn Victorian home. The thing that drew me to this site was what I saw out front. </div>
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The wolf is actually what caught my eye. It seemed like an odd lawn ornament choice, especially for a home that was in such terrible disrepair, so of course I had to go and check it out. Especially since this was not the first wolf statue that I had noticed around town.<br />
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It turned out that this particular wolf stood beside an even more interesting marker and plaque.</div>
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Unfortunately, the lot itself was closed for construction so I couldn't go back there and snoop around for the cave.</div>
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And then turning to see what was across the street, I noticed the <a href="http://www.abingdontavern.com/history.htm" target="_blank">The Tavern</a>.</div>
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<a href="http://www.abingdontavern.com/history.htm" target="_blank">The Tavern</a> was built in 1779, and according to the website, has hosted several famous personages, among them: Henry Clay, Louis Philippe - King of France, President Andrew Jackson, and Pierre Charles L'Enfant, the designer of Washington D.C.</div>
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I love how the moss and weeds grow on the roof - at the height of summer, they reach over a foot in height. Looks like something from an old European town.</div>
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This next bit entails a bit of a detour along our route, but it's for a good reason. Promise. :o) The upper left picture was taken at the corner of Pecan and Main. The upper right picture I stumbled upon walking down the street from the Daniel Boone Wolf Cave toward the center of town.</div>
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The present-day courthouse may not sport recycled materials from an old fort, but it does boast an authentic Tiffany stained-glass window.</div>
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In 1907, this Civil War monument was dedicated on the courthouse grounds.</div>
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My final stop on Main Street was the <a href="http://www.bartertheatre.com/index.php" target="_blank">Barter Theatre</a>. The <a href="http://www.bartertheatre.com/index.php" target="_blank">Barter Theatre</a> is unique in that when it was opened in 1933, all you needed to get in was some produce that you were willing to part with in exchange for a ticket. </div>
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After my trip downtown, I headed out to the county along White's Mill Road. After nearly turning around several times quite convinced that I had missed it, I finally found what I was looking for - the place for which the road was named - <a href="http://www.whitesmill.org/index.php" target="_blank">White's Mill</a>!<br />
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The mill, first put into operation in 1790, is in a bit of disrepair currently, but thanks to a grant from the Tobacco Commission, the White's Mill Foundation hopes to begin renovations this year.</div>
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I believe that this was the miller's home. It is located directly across the street from the mill. It is a log structure that appears to be covered in asbestos siding.</div>
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The Mercantile sits at the crossroads just down from the mill and is run by volunteers from the White's Mill Foundation. They sell many different products from local growers and artisans. The volunteer that was working the day I visited was exceptionally helpful and chatty to boot. After I emerged from my perusal of the back rooms of the store, she asked me if I had encountered their ghost. I told her that I hadn't, and she said it was surprising as the ghost was always wreaking havoc in the store. Apparently the ghosts of Abingdon have extended their territory! :o)</div>
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And that's all for now, folks! Happy exploring!</div>
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<br /></div>Andreahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07192847517277411164noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6854162312062071159.post-60103674322805013702012-06-24T22:56:00.001-04:002012-06-24T22:56:27.702-04:00Views of The Exchange Place - Kingsport, TNAs promised, here are the pictures from our recent class trip to <a href="http://www.exchangeplace.info/" target="_blank">The Exchange Place</a>. I hope you enjoy - it is definitely worth your while to plan a trip out there yourself, should you get a chance!<br />
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<br />Andreahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07192847517277411164noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6854162312062071159.post-66521273216069433082012-06-18T21:55:00.002-04:002012-06-18T21:56:23.087-04:00What's in a Name?Scots-Irish or Scotch-Irish is a term that we hear frequently mentioned in the Southeastern Appalachian region. Until recently, I rather assumed that the term referred to both Scottish and Irish settlers to this area. I thought that the settlers to this area came to be called Scots-Irish/Scotch-Irish because the two groups had mixed to such a degree that they had, over time, become indecipherable one from the other.<br />
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It turns out that I was wrong. The term Scots-Irish or Scotch-Irish actually refers to the Scottish immigrants (also known as Ulster Scots) that came to this country via Ulster, or as we may more commonly know it, Northern Ireland.<br />
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According to Ron Chepesiuk, author of <i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/The-Scotch-Irish-Ireland-Making-America/dp/0786406143" target="_blank">The Scotch-Irish: From the North of Ireland to the Making of America</a> </i>(2000)<i>, </i>the Scots that came to this country from Northern Ireland (Ulster) had first been transplanted to that region by King James I after he decided to create an Ulster plantation in an effort to make England less vulnerable to outside attack from that direction. He gave free land to any Scottish or English takers, and the result was that for the next one-hundred or so years, there were Scottish families living in Northern Ireland.<br />
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It isn't clear, however, if over time the Scots and the Irish intermarried - something that would have resulted in a truly Scots-Irish, or Scotch-Irish line. Apparently there aren't any marriage records available from Northern Ireland (Ulster) for that time period, so the question remains unanswered.<br />
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Upon learning this, I got to thinking. With DNA testing being what it is today, wouldn't it be possible to test the DNA of Ulster-Scots/Scots-Irish/Scotch-Irish and determine what they are? That may even be something that is currently being done, I don't know. I do know that the popular TV show, <i><a href="http://www.nbc.com/who-do-you-think-you-are/" target="_blank">Who Do You Think You Are?</a> </i>has, I believe, relied on this type of DNA typing to identify regions of the world from which the ancestors of that week's subject hailed. It's amazing to me just how far science has come!<br />
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Thanks to a website that my professor shared with our class - <a href="http://www.ancestryireland.com/scotsinulster/" target="_blank">Ancestry Ireland</a> - I was able to look up two surnames from my own family tree - Harris and Cannon. We know that the Cannons came through Galway on their migration to North Carolina in the States, and because of that, I had always assumed that they were from that area. However, after learning that my family migrated to a region of the United States during a period when large numbers of Ulster-Scots were arriving and settling that same area, it made me curious. So, I began searching the website, and it appears that it is possible that my family could've originally come from Ulster/Northern Ireland. The Harrises even more-so than the Cannons, as that name is very well represented in that region.<br />
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That discovery led me to the question of nationality - is my family Irish as always thought, or are they actually Scots-Irish, which is to say, not Irish at all? I can see the summer including some time in the library researching this very intriguing question.Andreahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07192847517277411164noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6854162312062071159.post-36851232024319286242012-06-16T13:51:00.003-04:002012-06-16T19:16:47.446-04:00Getting Fleeced - the Old Fashioned Way<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
This week, our class made a trip to the <a href="http://www.exchangeplace.info/" target="_blank">Exchange Place</a> in Kingsport, TN. I'll be sharing the pictures I took later on, but for today, let me just give you a brief synopsis of what <a href="http://www.exchangeplace.info/" target="_blank">Exchange Place</a> is before moving on to my main topic for the day. <a href="http://www.exchangeplace.info/" target="_blank">Exchange Place</a> is a living history farm that was first established in the early 19th century and is open to the public for tours, festivals, and much, much more, thanks to the dedication of its many volunteers. It is a terrific place to visit - I'd highly recommend a trip if you've never been.</div>
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Right now I'm going to focus on one small element of our tour which struck me with a much greater impact than it would have even a month ago. Wool. Notice the charming little basket of nicely washed raw wool sitting next to the bench in the picture below. It looks very harmless, doesn't it? </div>
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That's what I would have supposed, too....before my fleecing. A few weeks ago, I wouldn't have paid a second's attention to a basket of wool, but if I had, it would probably only have been to wonder what the two "dog brushes" were doing sitting on top of a pile of wool. And then I would've moved on, blissfully ignorant of what that little basket and that pair of "dog brushes" represented in terms of labor and time. </div>
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Now I know better. See, I recently decided to take up making a particular kind of doll known as the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Waldorf_doll" target="_blank">Waldorf doll</a>. If you click on the name, you can find out more about this type of doll, but the most important part about it, at least for this conversation, is the fact that it is stuffed with wool. </div>
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Well, I quickly found that wool can be a bit pricey, so in order to make the enterprise a bit more affordable, I decided to buy a raw fleece. I mean, how hard could cleaning some raw wool be? And I was amazed at how cheaply I was able to get one - it was less than $30 through eBay for a seven pounder. You know how they say that life turns on a dime? Well, in this case, it was the click of a mouse that did it.</div>
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I know what you're thinking, that I am being a bit melodramatic, and I agree - I would've thought the exact same thing...before the fleece arrived. But let me just say that until you've processed your own raw sheep fleece, you have NO idea, and for your sake, I would do all in my power to keep it that way. </div>
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But, I digress. I ordered my fleece and received it a week ago last Friday. I was so excited to open the box and get a look at my purchase. I was not prepared for what I was about to see. </div>
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Now that is just ugly. I guess I didn't really remember how dirty sheep get. And this fleece had been skirted before it was sent to me, meaning that all of the nasty manure-stained bits had been mostly cut away - I'd hate to have seen it BEFORE the skirting was done - I was pretty daunted by the look of it in this condition.<br />
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What follows is the process I have gone through to get the fleece to where it is right now (more on its current status later). After this, I think you'll share my increased admiration for the hard work that these early settlers had to put in to almost everything they did!<br />
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Okay, so first I donned a pair of rubber gloves (something the settlers would not have had - poor blokes) and started shaking out the fleece to get the biggest chunks and pieces of "debris" out.<br />
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Next, I started pulling the fleece apart in small sections to loosen some more of the veggie matter, manure, and bugs that were trapped in the wool. The result of this is what you see in these three wire baskets.<br />
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The contents of these baskets represent approximately four hours of work, and only about an eighth of the actual fleece. The rest, I set aside for later.<br />
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My next task was to take a couple of buckets inside and fill them with the hottest water the tap could produce. To fill two buckets in this way took me about ten minutes - the poor settlers would have had to pump the water, or get it from the well, and then heat it in a cauldron making this step even longer.</div>
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The settlers also didn't have Dawn dish soap - I imagine they would've used lye soap, and probably would've had to make it - another thing that I am grateful to have been spared having to do as I proceeded. I dumped in a good handful of the soap into each bucket and then lowered (slowly so as not to felt my wool) the mesh containers full of picked wool into the hot water.<br />
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Following the advice of the many experts available online (what did settlers do without Google?!), I set my timer for 20 minutes and let the wool stew away.</div>
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After the timer went off, I (again, carefully) removed the wire baskets from the hot water. Below is the result.</div>
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Not too clean looking, right? Right. So...again following the advice of the online wool cleaning experts, I repeated the washing process another two times. Then, I had to "rinse" the wool twice, which meant filling buckets two more times with hot water and letting the wool soak for another twenty minutes each time. At this point, the washing process for the first two batches of wool has taken approximately two and a half hours. </div>
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Next task was to dry the wool. Easier said than done as wool really likes to retain moisture. I decided to rig up an old piece of screen and tie it to two pool floaties - spread the wool in a thin layer over that and then cover with our little fire pit cover. I'm sure that the settlers had a much better way to do this - I left this wool out for over 24 hours and it still remained pretty damp.</div>
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Finally, the wool dried, and this was the result. Two small wire baskets of washed wool. Now I just had to repeat the entire process several more times over the next three days to get the rest of the fleece washed.<br />
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I learned two very important shortcuts after my first few batches of wool. First, was that soaking the wool in plain water over night cut down the number of times I had to wash it to two times, rather than three. This is something the settlers would've been smart enough to do from the start, of course. </div>
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The second expedient that I discovered after even more online research, was that using a Salad Spinner to spin out the excess water from the fleece before putting it out to dry cut down the drying time immensely. I feel very bad for the settlers over this one as I'm pretty sure they didn't have an early-American version of one of these little miracles at their disposal.</div>
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I then got the bright idea to put the wire baskets of wool fresh from the Salad Spinner in front of a fan (another blessing of the Electric Age) to finish the drying process.</div>
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To wash and dry one fleece using all of the modern conveniences at my disposal, still took seven days and easily fifty hours. And that doesn't even bring us to the point of those fluffy white pieces of wool that we saw lying in the basket at the Exchange Place - oh no, we are not there yet. Washed wool is still FULL of vegetable matter (VM) - little tiny pieces of grass and grain - that have to be worked free from the very grabby wool fibers. </div>
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The next phase of the process is to again pick apart the wool fibers, a handful at a time, to loosen them and release as much remaining VM as possible. Once this is done, the "dog brushes" that we saw in the earlier picture from the Exchange Place come into play. The brushes are actually hand carders, and they are used to brush the wool fibers out so that they are all lined up in one uniform direction. This process helps to free the remaining VM from the wool and prepares it for the task of spinning. </div>
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Hand carders are expensive - a good pair will cost you about $50-60, so I decided to use the next best (and cheapest) thing - dog brushes. The only essential difference between wire dog brushes and hand carders is their size. Dog brushes are MUCH smaller, but they only cost about $2.50 each at the dollar store, so I decided that smaller was just fine with me.</div>
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To hand card (according to my online expert friends), you grab a small amount of washed and picked wool and run it across the bristles of one brush until the brush is covered in wool.</div>
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You then brush the wool with the other brush (several times if needed) until all of the VM is out and the fibers are lined up in a satisfactory manner.</div>
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The above picture represents several hours of labor and about 1.5 ounces of wool. Since that picture was taken on Thursday, I have carded an additional two ounces of wool. I am getting faster - it only took me about an hour and a half to do that much. At this rate, I should be done picking and carding my fleece by Christmas...of 2013. </div>
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The lesson I've taken away from this experience is that I have it so much easier than the early settlers to this area did. I decided to undergo this process because I wanted to save money on a project that I am doing for fun, whereas the settlers of the 19th century had to do this same thing over and over just to live. Without wool, there was no cloth, and without wool cloth, there were no clothes or outerwear. </div>
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In the harsh elements of an Appalachian winter, outerwear was a must - a farmer wouldn't last long if he caught a cold, or worse yet, pneumonia, because he wasn't properly insulated against the weather. If a farmer lost his life, then his family would be hard-pressed to keep up a farm in a land that was, in many cases, far from the aid of family and friends.</div>
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<br />Andreahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07192847517277411164noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6854162312062071159.post-58773709124668014792012-06-14T23:39:00.003-04:002014-04-02T18:16:33.026-04:00The Ghosts of AbingdonMy first trip of exploration to Abingdon was in 2010. I was participating in the <a href="http://www2.uvawise.edu/awp/" target="_blank">Appalachian Writing Project's</a> summer institute, and we made a day trip to the <a href="http://www.marthawashingtoninn.com/" target="_blank">Martha Washington Inn</a> where we were treated to a mini ghost tour by Abingdon's very own "Haint Mistress," <a href="http://www.webehaints.com/" target="_blank">Donnamarie Emmert</a>.<br />
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Just for fun, I made a little video that offers a peak into a few of the "haunted" areas of The Martha, along with some views from Sinking Spring Cemetery (more on that below). </div>
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Now that we have the silliness out of the way, let's take a look at what I discovered on my most recent trip to this beautiful and historic town. </div>
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This mound caught my eye as I was driving down the road that runs behind Main Street. Of course, I had no idea where I was, but I had to stop and get a closer look.</div>
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Turns out, it was a grave site. I don't know if it is actually a mound covered in vine, or if there is some kind of structure under there, but I was WAY too afraid of snakes to do much nosing around. Ha. After I finished checking out this curiosity, I turned to my left and noticed that I was at the Sinking Spring Cemetery! I had enjoyed my last trip to the cemetery so much that I couldn't resist heading back in for a more extended look around.</div>
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The most amazing thing about this cemetery is its age. It actually has graves dating back to 1776. This was also the original site of the Sinking Spring Presbyterian Church. The church moved to its present location in 1851 at the corner of Pecan and Main.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Present-day Location of Sinking Spring Presbyterian Church</td></tr>
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Getting back to Sinking Spring Cemetery - the cabin at the entrance is the cabin that served as parsonage for the first pastor of Sinking Spring Presbyterian - Reverend Charles Cummings.<br />
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The cabin was moved to its current location inside the cemetery in 1971.</div>
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As I drove through the cemetery, this enclosure caught my eye. I got out to investigate and saw that it was a memorial to the Confederate soldiers who fought and died during the Civil War.<br />
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I obviously got a little camera-happy with this memorial, but I just couldn't leave. Something about it struck me so powerfully, that all I could do was stand there taking picture after picture of the site. Having grown up in Michigan - a Northern state that fought for the Union - the South and the Confederacy were only historical terms to me - they lacked dimension and reality because nothing in my experience made that side of the conflict come alive for me.</div>
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Even years later, when I visited Gettysburg, while I found myself overwhelmed by the sheer magnitude of the loss sustained there, the Southern casualties were absorbed by the whole of the tragedy, and it didn't strike home like it did for me here, in this little cemetery, in this little town in Southwestern Virginia.</div>
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Here the loss was personal. These tombstones represented fathers, brothers, cousins, and uncles, friends, classmates and fellow church members. These little pieces of stone marked the loss of someone important to the community of Abingdon, Virginia, and standing among them, I felt the weight of their sacrifice press in upon me, tethering me to the spot - unable to move on without first acknowledging the love and patriotism that motivated these men to risk everything for a cause they would eventually give their lives to. It was the only tribute I had to offer, and I gave it gladly.</div>
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Much later, as I was preparing to leave the cemetery, I realized that I hadn't paid close attention to the names on the gravestones, and for the life of me, I couldn't have said whether there had been a single Scots-Irish, Scottish, or Irish name among them! I decided to look more closely on my way out, and I noticed a great many markers bearing names from that region of the world - names like Carnahan, Gibson, Carter, along with a whole host of Macs, Mcs, and Os. This was a Presbyterian cemetery, after all!</div>
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Carnahan graves - the name struck me nearly as much as the apparent age of the stones themselves. I couldn't find a year on them, but their condition seemed to indicate that they had been around for a very long time.</div>
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I thoroughly enjoyed my tour of the Sinking Spring Cemetery as much the second time as I had the first. Cemeteries are fascinating to me because they offer a glimpse into the past of a community - a snapshot of the history and people that lived and died in an area, and like a picture, they leave you wanting to know more. </div>
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Andreahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07192847517277411164noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6854162312062071159.post-83447784735621371212012-06-11T19:56:00.001-04:002012-06-13T20:05:44.194-04:00The Scots-Irish in AppalachiaThis summer, I have the privilege of taking a class that focuses completely on the history of the Scots-Irish that settled the region of Appalachia where I now live. Having moved here from the Midwest almost six years ago, I have always been curious about the history of my new home. Knowing also that my family is of Irish (among other things) descent, I was more than excited to sign up for the class when I found out that it was being offered.<br />
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One of the first assignments our class received was to go around the area and take pictures of various sites that capture the history of this area and of the Scots-Irish that originally settled here. I can tell that this assignment will be my favorite - I have already visited Bristol, VA and Abingdon, VA in the week since the class began, and I have been planning many additional forays into the field over the days and weeks to come.<br />
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I thought that I would share the pictures that I have taken so far, along with any pertinent information that will help explain them. I also solemnly promise to attempt to keep current with my travels as the summer proceeds. Fingers crossed!<br />
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Bristol - A City in Two States (Tennessee & Virginia)<br />
Date of Visit: 6-5-12<br />
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I have been to Bristol many times during the five years that I taught there (on the Virginia side). During that time, I have been lucky enough to explore some of the local historical sites, but the list is far from finished, and after last Tuesday's trip, I find that it just keeps growing.<br />
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Tuesday, I made it a point to get pictures of two area historical sites which I have not yet had the chance to photograph.<br />
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Site #1 - Emmanuel Episcopal Church<br />
Bristol, VA<br />
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According to the <a href="http://www.emmanuelbristol.org/aboutus" target="_blank">website</a> for this beautiful church, "Emmanuel Episcopal Church was founded in 1862 in Bristol, Virginia. Our current church was built in 1921 and is a replica of the 13th-century Church of St. James the Lesser in Sulgrave, England (the anscestral home of George Washington). Our Parish House was constructed in 1960." (<u>NOTE</u>: The preceding information was a direct quote from the Emmanuel Episcopal Church website, so please excuse the misspelling of <i>ancestral</i> as it appears above<i>.</i>)</div>
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Though the church is Episcopalian, and not Presbyterian or Catholic - the two predominant denominations of the Irish and Scottish settlers to this region, I thought it fitting to add these pictures to this collection because not only do they represent the rich history of this area, but they also represent the religious freedom that was enjoyed (in many cases, for the very first time) by immigrants to the United States.</div>
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Site #2 - <a href="http://www.thebristoltrainstation.org/" target="_blank">Bristol Train Station</a></div>
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Bristol, VA</div>
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The original Bristol Train Station was built in 1865 - 100 years after General Evan Shelby established the first settlement, which he named Sapling Grove, at the site that would later become the City of Bristol. The current station (pictured above) was completed in 1902 on the same site. </div>
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It is interesting to note that the first settler of the area now known as Bristol, Evan Shelby, was of Welsh descent, and not one of the many Scots-Irish settlers for which this region is so well known. Later, however, Colonel James King of Ireland purchased Shelby's lands and began developing the settlement that would continue to bear the stamp of his family from that day to this.</div>
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I would like to make another trip to Bristol in the near future to photograph additional sites of interest, but for those of you who don't want to wait for this, please take a few minutes and visit the <a href="http://www.visitbristoltnva.org/" target="_blank">website</a> for the Bristol Chamber of Commerce - it offers tons of great information regarding the history of this beautiful town! </div>
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Until later - happy exploring!</div>
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<br />Andreahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07192847517277411164noreply@blogger.com2