Tag: cultural heritage

Celebrate Appalachian History at the Townsend Spring Festival and Old Timers Day

Posted on April 5, 2019 by - Blog, Events, Townsend

Spring is in the air, and that means it must be time for the Townsend Spring Festival and Old Timers Day! This free two-day event celebrates the rich history of the Appalachian way of life. You will find plenty of Bluegrass music, handmade crafts, and delectable food choices.
Bring a chair or a blanket for sitting back and enjoying the fresh mountain air.  You will want to plan to stay all day because this event is packed to the brim with historical fun. There will be bands to listen to, handmade goods to peruse, food to sample, and other activities to participate in. Head out to Townsend, TN on May 3rd and 4th to join the fun.

About Townsend Spring Festival

On May 3rd, the fun will start at 10am with the craft vendors and food vendors opening up their booths. The demonstrators will begin showing off their talents at 10 am as well. At noon, the music will kick in to really get the party started. The festivities will last all day with bands playing until 10 pm. You can expect the same basic schedule on the 4th with except that the bands will start a little earlier.
While the full list of vendors and bands is yet to be announced. There are a few activities that you can expect. The author of the book “The Last Man from Tremont,” Roy Oliver, will be in attendance. If you would like to have a book signed or just simply have a chat, make sure to stop by and see Mr. Oliver. The pickers in attendance will definitely want to check out the tents for Jammers.
Other area initiatives and associations will be on hand to help you learn more about the area. These groups include:

  • Appalachian Bear Rescue
  • Cades Cove Preservation Association
  • Great Smoky Mountains Institute of Tremont
  • Keep Blount Beautiful
  • Chilhowee Area Ministries

Some of the bands scheduled to play so far include Wayne Wright Review, Blackberry Jam, Grandview Pickers, Appalachian Grass, Raven Welch and Crew, Foothills Express, Steve Jordan Band, Muleskinner, and many more!

Parking at the Event

Parking at the event can be purchased daily for $10 or you can get a two-day pass for $15. The parking fee proceeds will go to support the Townsend Volunteer Fire Department, and they can be purchased in advance at the Townsend Visitor Center and the Maryville Visitor Center. However, if you do not purchase in advance, you will be able to pay at the gate when you arrive.
If you would like to experience a little more of what Townsend has to offer, you can take the FREE shuttle from the Townsend Visitor Center and get a good tour of the town. The shuttles will start running at 10:30 am and continue until 6 pm on both days.
The Townsend Spring Festival is an annual event that is beloved by all. Come for the bluegrass once, and you will find yourself making the trip back year after year. The beauty of the Appalachian way of life will call to you across the miles.
 

Celebrating 50 Years at Tremont

Posted on September 11, 2019 by - Activities, Blog

Monarch butterfly tagging. Photo by Stephanie Bowling.

The Institute at Tremont, in the Great Smoky Mountains, has been serving the Walker Valley community for 50 years. It all started in 1969 when a group of local leaders and educators came together to turn a group of old Job Corps buildings, slated for demolition, into a residential environmental learning center. The idea was to offer hands-on outdoor discovery experiences accessible to everyone. The successful implementation has only grown stronger and flourished over the years, with programs for everyone – from young children to adults, and educators to the curious public.
Monarch butterfly tagging. Photo by Stephanie Bowling.
To celebrate this golden anniversary, they have invited everyone to attend their annual Homecoming gathering on the weekend of October 12 – 14, 2019. A full weekend package is available online, which will include Saturday and Sunday night lodging in their dormitory. Four meals will be provided, including Saturday supper, Sunday breakfast, a sack lunch, and Homecoming dinner. Many informal activities have been planned, such as a campfire and moonlight walk, a waterfall hike, and a tour of Tremont’s new property in Townsend. Space is limited, so if you are interested, please go to http://gsmit.org/event/homecoming-full-weekend-package/ to register.
If you aren’t able to make the homecoming celebration, there are many other ways to get involved with the Institute at Tremont. A popular fall activity is their Monarch Tagging program in Cades Cove. Each year monarch butterflies migrate to Mexico for the winter and Tremont Institute using tagging as a way to track their migratory patterns and monitor population status. Tremont has been tagging monarch butterflies for many years, and each year their volunteer pool grows because of its popularity with participants from every age group. Grab your butterfly net and play in the fields of Cades Cove, while also using a field guide to identify the different species. Monarch tagging is just one of several Citizen Science programs, which allows the public to gather hands-on experience with real scientific research. Other Citizen Science programs throughout the year include bird banding, salamander monitoring, phenology tracking, and otter spotting. If you are interested in volunteering and want more information about the Citizen Science programs, please check out http:/gsmit.org/citizen-science/.

The Institute at Tremont also has summer camps and adult programs that are open to the public. Summer camps start at age four and are available through high school ages. They have family camps that allow families to stay on-site and offer all kinds of outdoor activities. Leave the planning to the Tremont Institute and come and enjoy the Great Smoky Mountains in a structured and educational environment. They offer a Firefly Camp, which allows a parent or grandparent to accompany children from four to nine for a one, two, or three-night adventure. There are also discovery camps, science camps, and backpacking camps. Leave the kids for a unique camp experience while you and your spouse enjoy some private time alone in the mountains for the week. With so many different camp experiences, there is one for any family.

Not to leave the adults out of the fun, Tremont has a wide variety of programs for the older generation, as well. There are Road Scholar hiking trips, Sierra Club hikes, and a Women’s Fall Backpacking excursion. Twice a year, they offer photography workshops, which allow students to stay at the facility and sharpen their nature photography skills. They also provide Naturalist Classes and Certifications under the Southern Appalachian Naturalist Certification Program, which is a field-based program in Southern Appalachian ecology and interpretive techniques. The Wilderness First Responder course is led by instructors from Roane State Community College and meets the Tennessee Emergency Medical Services curriculum standards. If you love the outdoors, Tremont Institute has the program for you.

With 50 years of experience, the Institute at Tremont has been instrumental in serving our community with environmental educations resources and programs. Their journey is far from over, as new environmental concerns arise, they are prepared to teach the public how to get involved and make a difference. For more information on the Tremont Institute or any of their programs, please go to their website at www.gsmit.org.

Enjoy Mountain Music on the Pickin' Porch at Wood-N-Strings Dulcimer Shop

Posted on October 31, 2018 by - Activities, Blog, Townsend

There’s more to the Smokies than just industry and the great outdoors. Cultural traditions brought to the Smokies by different waves of immigrants and frontier settlers have taken on lives of their own in the mountain hollows that dot the region, and they continue to provide great entertainment to locals and visitors alike.
In particular, the music of Appalachia and the Smokies has its own rich history, one that’s kept alive today in Blount County and especially at the Wood-N-Strings Dulcimer Shop. Read on to learn more about it, as well as how you can get a taste of it for yourself right in Blount County.

Wood-N-Strings Dulcimer Shop Dates Back to the 18th Century

Immigrants from Ireland and what is now called the United Kingdom first settled in the mountain foothills of the southeastern U.S. in the late 18th century, bringing their traditional ballads and dance music (typically fast-paced violin or “fiddle” music) with them. Here, these traditions intersected with others, like banjo-playing, which came up from farther down South. Banjo playing was actually first documented in Knoxville in 1798, so it’s been a part of the region’s legacy for quite some time.
The dulcimer was also a major part of this tradition. Interestingly enough, although the first Appalachian dulcimer was played by Scots-Irish immigrants, there’s no record of anything like the dulcimer in Scotland or Ireland. The instrument itself seems to be a true Southern original, much like the Wood-N-Strings Dulcimer Shop.

Visit Wood-N-Strings to See Dulcimers in Action

Anyone is welcome to come down to Wood-N-Strings in Townsend, Tennessee, which is not a just a shop, but a destination in its own right for fans of the region’s traditional music. The shop offers CDs and books about traditional music, as well as different kinds of dulcimers and other instruments like banjos, lap harps, and even some steel drums. Owners Mike and Connie Clemmer are happy to introduce anyone interested to the virtues of the dulcimer and the joy of playing an instrument that’s relatively easy to learn, and yet provides tremendous satisfaction to both players and audiences.

Check Out the Pickin’ Porch

If it’s summertime, it’s pickin’ time at Wood-N-Strings. Connie and Mike Clemmer play host to local and traveling musicians on their Pickin’ Porch at Wood-N-Strings every 1st, 3rd, and 5th Saturday at 7 PM, from May through September. Bring your lawn chairs and relax at their woodsy riverside location, while musicians share their talents and commitment to preserving tradition just for the love of it.
When winter rolls around, that doesn’t mean there’s no pickin’ left to enjoy. TheWood-N-Strings Dulcimer Shop has a section of the website dedicated to sharing videos from past Pickin’ Porch evenings, so you can still listen to old and new favorites long after the camping chairs have been folded up for the season.

History Buffs Love Learning the History of the Smokies at Cades Cove

Posted on August 3, 2018 by - Activities, Blog, Smoky Mountains

Cades Cove is one of the most visited parts of America’s most visited national park, but there’s more going on in these Tennessee woods than breathtaking natural beauty. Visitors to the Cove with a taste for history will get more than their fair share when they experience the famous Cades Cove loop for themselves.
How to Do the Loop
Cades Cove is a wide valley famous for its wildlife viewing, and it’s also one of the most accessible ways to experience a national park. No hiking is necessary; visitors can drive an 11-mile, one-way loop road through the park, and pull off at certain points to stretch their legs and experience the Cove. It takes from 2 to 4 hours to make it through the Cades Cove Loop in a car, but bikers and pedestrians have the loop road all to themselves on Wednesdays and Saturdays before 10 AM, and so they won’t be slowed down by traffic.
Look Out for the Locals
Cades Cove isn’t just popular with people; animals like white-tailed deer, black bears, coyotes, ground hogs, and wild turkeys also love the valley. Foxes and even the occasional beaver also make the region their home. The hiking trails nearby, like the trail to Abrams Falls or to Rocky Top, offer even better chances to see some animals in action, since they are less likely to be spooked by crowds. Birders will want to keep their eyes peeled for Great Blue and Green Herons, as well as Golden Eagles and American Kestrels.
Check Out the Architecture
Cades Cove was settled by Europeans beginning in the 1820s, and some of their architecture is still standing. Pioneer life in early Appalachia wasn’t easy, and the buildings reflect that. The John Oliver cabin, built in 1822, is sturdy and still stands, as do a number of churches from the mid-1800s, and other 19th– and early 20th-century pioneer cabins and outbuildings.
Cades Cove is also famous for the John Cable Grist Mill, which features the typical mill wheel. The mill actually still works; Cades Cove visitors can watch grain being ground, and then purchase the results at the Cades Cove Visitors Center (along with various jams, jellies, and locally-made trinkets). How’s that for a taste of history?
Take in History, Step by Step
One of the great things about Cades Cove is how visiting these buildings in the Tennessee woods feels like stepping directly into the past. Make sure to stop at the Cades Cove Visitor Center for trail maps and historical information to give you all the context you need to fully appreciate your visit, and don’t procrastinate about taking your trip to see Cades Cove. Even history buffs shouldn’t wait forever!
 

Learn About Appalachian Music and Instruments from the Experts: Wood-N-Strings Dulcimer Shop

Posted on June 8, 2018 by - Activities, Blog

In the Smokies region, history is all around you. Some might think that this history mostly just involves all the historic buildings in Great Smoky Mountains National Park and nearby, but there’s also an important musical legacy available to all who are curious, and there are two experts in Townsend with tons of knowledge on the subject. Connie and Mike Clemmer own the Wood-N-Strings Dulcimer Shop and keep an Appalachian musical tradition alive around the world with their handmade dulcimers.
Decades of Knowledge
Mike first began building dulcimers as a hobby in 1976, and eventually he and Connie opened up their shop. Each dulcimer takes weeks to build, using local woods like walnut, sassafras, butternut, cherry, or wormy chestnut, and customers can custom-order their own dulcimer with the soundhole pattern design that suits them.
Plenty of Innovation
Mike invented an instrument called the Ban-Jammer, his own banjo-dulcimer hybrid. Known for its distinct sound, ease of playability, and high-quality construction, the Ban-Jammer is tons of fun for musicians looking for an authentic Eastern Tennessee sound. Mike also created, upon request, a dulcimer called the “Baby Grand,” an extra-large dulcimer with a deep and resonant sound.
Besides both hammered and mountain dulcimers, the shop also offers banjos, guitars, harps, psaltries, lap harps, bohdrans, and even some steel drums and djembes, as well as a huge selection of books and CDs relevant to the Appalachian music scene.
Music for Everyone
Mike famously says, “If you can count to twelve without taking off your shoes, you can play a dulcimer.” That may be true, but musicians still need an audience! At Wood-N-Strings Dulcimer Shop, Mike and Connie host free concerts on the “Pickin’ Porch” every Saturday evening, May through September, and all are welcome to bring their camping chairs, relax and enjoy the music and the scenery of the shop’s woodsy location.
Mike and Connie also release their own CDs of mountain music. They actually have a book and CD combo, called Simple Faith & Homestead, that includes 2 CDs and tablature, so that listeners can actually learn to play the songs, whether in time along with the CDs, or on their own.
Fans of the music can also check out the resources they’ve gathered online, especially hours of free videos of their Saturday evening concerts, and clips from Tennessee Home and Farm, Tennessee Crossroads, a PBS special, and other clips that include tours of the shop or interesting facts about dulcimers and Appalachian music.
Come on Down and Visit
Mike and Connie invite everyone to visit them and learn more about the dulcimer and dulcimer music. The shop is open from 10 AM to 6 PM, Monday through Saturday, at 7645 E. Lamar Alexander Parkway in Townsend. More information, including an online shop (yes, they ship instruments!) is available on their website. Check them out, and whether you’re new to Appalachian music or an expert, you’re guaranteed to learn something before you leave!

Learn About the History of the Region with a Tour of Cades Cove

Posted on March 1, 2019 by - Blog, Smoky Mountains, Townsend

If you are coming to the Townsend, TN area for a vacation, a trip into the Great Smoky Mountains National Park is a must. And if you really want to learn all about the history of the region, then the best place to do so is by taking a tour of Cades Cove.

A First-Hand View of Cades Cove

If you are looking for a first-hand experience of what it must have been like to live here “back in the day,” then you have only to go inside the park and visit Cades Cove. From long walks through the grassy valleys, hikes in the mountains, a chance to see some of the local wildlife, or a walk through the historic buildings, this is the place to be. You and your family can get a taste of what it was like to live here in the early days.
The Cades Cove Loop Road typically takes around 3 to 4 hours to drive, but if you go this fast, you might miss out on a lot. Most of those who come here tend to be here all day since there is so much to see and do.

Things You Might Not Know About Cades Cove

Many of the buildings on display here in Cades Cove have been moved here from elsewhere or were built here after the park opened. For example, the Gregg-Cable House was built out on Forge Creek Road in 1879 by Leason Gregg. Many of the buildings around the John P. Cable Mill have been moved from their original location.
Did you know that the Cades Cove area is the most popular spot in the entire park, bringing in 2 million visitors every year? They come for the hiking trails, the biking opportunities, the spectacular scenery, and the deep history the area has to share with everyone who visits here.

Just Like It Used to Look  

Perhaps the one thing that makes Cades Cove the perfect place to learn about the history of the area is the number of historic buildings and structures you get to see as you drive or walk along the route. There are churches, barns, a working grist mill that just got a new waterwheel, plenty of log houses, and many others to see. Make sure you pick up one of the Tour Guide Booklets at the entrance to the loop.
The guide can provide you with a vast amount of information on the various buildings, the park, and the history of the entire region. Be sure you stop by the Cades Cove Visitors Center to learn about the many Park Ranger-led tours scheduled for the day you plan to be here. Between the knowledgeable and friendly staff in the visitors’ center and your tour guide, you can learn all about the history of Cades Cove, the park, and the surrounding area.
When you are all done for the day, be sure you stop back in at the visitors’ center and pick out a few souvenirs to take home with you. No matter what else you do, be sure you take lots of pictures so you can show the folks back home how beautiful the Peaceful Side of the Smokies truly is!
 

Learn About the Peaceful Side's Native American Heritage

Posted on January 14, 2019 by - Blog, Smoky Mountains, Townsend

A recent article out of Maryville, TN asks a very simple question: “Do you know who lived in your house before you did? How about what stood a century ago on the land where your house now sits?” And it is a good question to ask anyone since few of us could explain who may have lived in our family home or on our family’s land. We might guess that Native Americans may have lived in certain areas, but few of us are certain of the facts.
If you are eager to discover the facts about the Native American history of the Great Smoky Mountains region, you have a rare chance to do so thanks to a permanent display created by the Great Smoky Mountains Heritage Center.
Asking just that same question as the one above (Do you know who lived on your land before you?), but increasing the time to ten thousand years, the museum offers a great deal of information as an answer to it.

Looking Back Thousands of Years in the Smokies’ History

The modern city of Townsend, Tenn. was once the home of the Cherokee people. They lived in the region more than ten thousand years ago and inhabited the area today known as the Tuckaleechee Cove area. The Heritage Center has a collection of more than one thousand artifacts by this ancient people, and even had the Townsend Archaeology Project from 1999 to 2001 in order to gather and curate the collection on display.
Because so many people envision pioneers as settling the area, they overlook that there is a great deal more history to discover prior to the pioneer days. Today, there are still Cherokee people in the area, but there is a difference between those who live today and the ancient Cherokee. Historians and archaeologists even have a specific way to describe them, calling them historic Cherokee since their land holdings actually ran from modern day Cincinnati over to Atlanta and eastward to Asheville, NC as well as westward towards Birmingham, AL. They lived through three different periods, known as the Archaic, Woodland and Mississippian, and visitors can see artifacts dating from all three eras of the historic Cherokee peoples.
It is difficult to imagine a time of hunters and gatherers in modern North America, but this is precisely what the historic Cherokee of the Smokies area were. They followed their animal game and foraged for wild foods. Artifacts include some of the actual arrowheads used in hunting, and even fishing tools and household tools like axes. They were also adept with clay pottery and built wooden structures in which to live.
If you want to learn all that you can about these historic people, the Center’s Native Americans of East Tennessee Collection is on permanent display at the Heritage Center and can be viewed whenever you pay a visit to this fascinating destination.
 

Learn Why Appalachian Folk Music is Still Being Played in the Smokies

Posted on September 21, 2018 by - Activities, Blog, Smoky Mountains

No matter where you go in the Smoky Mountains, you are sure to hear someone playing Appalachian folk music. It might be coming from one of the many bars, clubs, restaurants, venues, or even on the street corners. What’s funny about this particular genre of music is that no matter what your personal preference in music might be, you can’t help but stop to listen to the banjo and fiddle combinations (along with a vocalist in some instances). Before long, you will likely find your foot tapping along with the tune as the music swells in your soul.
Multiple Influences
The music favored for decades in Appalachia is thought to have its roots in English, Irish, and Scottish ballads and hymns, and later in African-American blues. Over time, this unique blend of vocals, fiddles, and banjos led to the development of other forms of music, including blues and country. Along with the fiddles and banjos, you might also find guitars and the fretted dulcimer being played.
Among the many well-known artists who are known to have been influenced by or played Appalachian music are country stars like Earl Scruggs, Dolly Parton, and Loretta Lynn. But country music artists are not the only ones to be influenced by this form of music. Legends like Bruce Springsteen, Bob Dylan, The Statler Brothers, even Jerry Garcia (The Grateful Dead) have all play songs from Appalachian music or have rewritten them to suit their musical style.
Appalachian Music Will Never Die
There is an old saying that goes “Rock and roll will never die,” but the same can be said of Appalachian music. With a history dating back centuries, instead of waning in popularity, this beautiful music seems to be growing in popularity. Maybe this simply represents a change in tastes, or perhaps more people have become interested in the roots of the music they prefer and suddenly find themselves lost in the sound of the banjo and fiddle together.
Like many other popular forms of “old-school” music, there are numerous Appalachian music festivals all along the Appalachian mountain range from the Appalachian String Band Music Festival held annually in Clifftop, WV to the Museum of Appalachia’s Tennessee Fall Homecoming that takes place in Clinton, TN every year.
Why do people still love this form of music? There are millions of reasons, but for many, it is the simplicity of the music, the stories told, and the ability to sit back and relax while you take in the melodies. For others, listening to Appalachian music is a great way to get back to the roots of so many different varieties of music being played today.
In the early days, Appalachian folk music was considered to be a great way to bring the entire community together. People would sit on the front porch or stoop, in the town square, or around a big fire just to listen to the music, dance to it, and enjoy the spirit of camaraderie that came with it. Today, it has a similar effect on anyone listening to it; they want to get together to celebrate the music with others, share in the stories, and be washed clean of their normal lives, if only for a few minutes.
 
Take a few minutes out of your busy day to stop and listen to the many wonderful local musicians on “The Peaceful Side of the Smokies,” in Blount County, who truly love the music they play.

Museums and Heritage Centers Give History Buffs a Thrill on the Peaceful Side of the Smokies

Posted on September 10, 2018 by - Activities, Blog

The Peaceful Side of the Smokies may be quite peaceful at the moment, but at different points in history it’s been a crossroads for conflicts, and played home to a raucous community of frontier loggers and businessmen. There are plenty of places in Blount County to learn about the region’s history, and here are a few that history buffs and their families are likely to love.
The Little River Railroad & Lumber Company Museum
Once upon a time (let’s say, oh, 1901), a man named W.B. Townsend founded the Little River Railroad and Lumber Company, which eventually operated for 38 years and sawed 560 million board feet of timber. Far from legend, the actions of W.B. Townsend and the loggers he employed shaped the region, and in 1982 the museum was created to explain their legacy.
Visitors can expect a restored Shay train engine, other vintage train cars, restored buildings, and ephemera, like photographs and tools, that tell the story of the Railroad & Lumber Company.
Cades Cove and The Cades Cove Museum
There’s plenty of history to be had in Cades Cove. The Cades Cove Loop Road offers both motorists and hikers a chance to experience history firsthand, as visitors can drive through the scenery or park and hike through historic structures, some of which, like the Cable Mill, are still in operation. There’s also a Cades Cove Visitors’ Center, offering ranger-led programs and a bookshop.
The Cades Cove Museum is run by the Cades Cove Preservation Association, a community of those dedicated to preserving the history of the pioneers who once settled Cades Cove, and who moved to make way for Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The museum celebrating these frontier lives is free and open from 10 AM to 3 PM, Wednesday through Saturday, at the historic Thompson-Brown House at 1004 East Lamar Alexander Parkway in Maryville.
Blount County Historical Museum
Keeping those same hours and located in the very same historic home as the Cades Cove Museum, the Blount County Historical Museum also offers plenty to keep history buffs entertained. The Museum features Civil War artifacts, including uniforms and women’s clothing, as well as personal items and other equipment, a model railroad display, and information on Cherokee settlement in the region.
The Great Smoky Mountains Heritage Center
This heritage center offers more than just a museum – their facilities play host to local concerts and other events, their grounds feature a veterans’ honor garden, and they also have a historic village with 13 buildings, including cabins, a chapel, a granary, two barns, a smokehouse, and buildings used by other historical businesses, like a wheelwright’s shop.
In the museum itself you can find permanent exhibits on the Native Americans who once lived in the region, as well as the European pioneers who settled in Eastern Tennessee and developed their own culture and way of life. Expect lots of real and replicated tools, utensils, and other equipment, plus the museum is also home to a collection of 19th and 20th century vehicles.

Quilts Often Tell a Story: Learn More About this Appalachian Craft Tradition

Posted on March 25, 2019 by - Blog, Events

It has long been said that every picture tells a story, but here in the Smoky Mountains, this truth dates far back before the first camera took a photograph. It dates to the days when the hardy women who lived here began making quilts. While they weren’t the first ones to make quilts, they turned this simple chore into an art form.
In the early days when the Peaceful Side of the Smokies was barely settled, the women would use virtually any scrap of material they could find. It could be the scraps left over from making clothes for the family, flour and bean sacks, seed bags, old clothes that have outlived their usefulness, literally anything that could be cut and sewn into the span of the quilt. Some were made to match the patterns of the time, others used a family pattern or even no pattern at all.
Today’s electric sewing machines, readily available fat squares have changed what was for many an art built out of necessity has become one that is more often than not done simply for the pleasure of doing so. Here on the Peaceful Side of the Smokies, the skill of quilting is very much still part of our heritage. If you’re interested in quilting, there are several amazing quilt and quilt supply shop in the area, here are three of our favorites.

Quilts to Go at Lid’l Dollies Factory Store

The Lid’l Dollies Factory Store in Pigeon Forge has over three hundred quilt patterns for you to choose from in their store or at their online store. For 200 years Lid’l Dollies has been handcrafted quilts, dresses, and more. Today, they are proud to offer you a piece of true Tennessee heritage to take home with you after your visit to the peaceful side of the Smokies.

Foothills of the Smoky’s Quilt Shop

The Foothills of the Smoky’s Quilt Shop is located a little north of Pigeon Forge in Cosby. The shop is inside a historic log cabin and carries a vast selection of the finest in quilting materials and supplies. They also offer plenty of expert advice and are always happy to provide instruction on your quilting project. Be sure take the short drive out here and check out their fabulous selection of local patterns.

In Stitches Memory Quilts

In Stitches Memory Quilts, located in Maryville, TN says they will take your old t-shirts, sweatshirts, and polos, and create a custom quilt for you from them. The shirts you provide are used by the lovely ladies here to determine the custom pattern of your quilt.

The Cherry Pit

Located in historic downtown Sevierville, The Cherry Pit is an all-in-one quilting store. Along with selling completed quilts along with a fantastic selection of fabrics and patterns for which to choose. They also offer classes for beginners all the way up to advanced quilter. Each year the Cherry Pit participates in Quilt Fest and Shop Hop. They also sponsor an annual quilter retreat that features quilters from all over the country.

Travel the Newly Completed Foothills Parkway for Gorgeous Smoky Mountain Views

Posted on January 2, 2019 by - Blog, Smoky Mountains

Although the United States Congress authorized the creation of the Foothills Parkway far back in 1944, it has remained incomplete for more than 50 years. Yet, a giant step forward has been made with the completion and opening of the 16-mile stretch running between Wears Valley, TN and Walland, TN, in November of 2018.
Though it is unclear if the original plans for a 72-mile stretch of highway will be complete, the segments that are finished can be accurately said to do as was intended, and “provide magnificent views into the Great Smoky Mountains National Park from a road corridor that was outside the Park.”
The only incomplete of the seven Congressionally Mandated Parkways created at that time, it is intended to run from Cosby, TN to Chilhowee, TN. Though construction has been stop and go for years, and sees the Parkway divided into eight sections (known as 8A and 8H), it has been the 1.5 mile section known as the “missing link” that has been keeping the project from completion.
Obstacles and Challenges
For many years, travelers could drive eastern end’s 5.5-mile portion from Interstate 40 to Cosby. Additionally, many have traversed the 17-mile stretch in Blount County that runs from U.S. 129 to Walland.
However, the 16 mile stretch recently completed proved a real difficulty. According to a report from WBIR, “Crews spent a couple of decades working on a 16-mile segment from Walland to Wears Valley and nearly finished it. But right in the middle, the construction hit rugged peaks and valleys too tough to overcome. The walls they built crumbled and the soil was filled with minerals that caused environmental damage.” By the late 1980s, crews stopped work and a 1.65 mile gap – the missing link mentioned above – remained.
Around 2009, work began again and brand-new bridge building technologies were put to use in solving the challenges posed by the missing link. According to that report, this tech has allowed the gap to be closed through “several bridges that essentially float along the edge of the mountain and minimize the number of cuts that plow through the mountain.”
Using technologies similar to the Linn Cove Viaduct in North Carolina, they are actually cantilevered bridges that preserved the surrounding landscape and offered only a small amount of interference or environmental impact. A real bonus is that they also emphasize the scenery and give a sense of being out in the wilderness, above the treetops and flying above it all!
With minimal impact and unimpeded views, the solution could not have been more ideally designed. Expected to become one of the prettiest drives in the country, Tennessee Senator Lamar Alexander said that the Foothills Parkway will be the “only way you can see the highest part of the mountains in the eastern United States” from such a viewpoint.  So, when visiting Blount County, be sure you make a point to take a scenic drive along the newly-completed portion of the stunning Foothills Parkway.
 

Visiting on a Tuesday? Join Us Tuesdays at 2 and Learn More About Our Amazing Appalachian Heritage

Posted on March 22, 2019 by - Blog, Events, Townsend

Looking for something fun and educational to do when visiting Townsend, TN on a Tuesday? Don’t be fooled into thinking there can’t be anything going on just because it’s the second day of the week. Instead, take a trip to the Great Smoky Mountains Heritage Center and enjoy their “Tuesdays @ 2 informal “coffee talk” with an incredible array of guest speakers.  
Stories that Need to Be Told
The Great Smoky Mountains Heritage Center is dedicated to protecting and preserving the rich culture and incredible history of both the Native Americans who once lived here and those who came after.
Every Tuesday the center hosts a fun and informative event in the auditorium. Each event covers a different topic ranging from folk music to history and folklore to nature. These events are free to museum members and open to guests with paid admission.
Upcoming Tuesdays@2 Events
March 19 – Ben Jarrett- The American Chestnut Foundation
The American Chestnut Foundation is dedicated to restoring the chestnut to its proper place in the Appalachian hardwood ecosystem. Ben will be here to talk about the efforts being made to bring this important hardwood tree back to the Smokies.
March 26 – Dr. Aaron Astor – Isaac Anderson
Dr. Astor has two books and numerous articles published in the New York Times “Disunion” series. He will be here to talk about the history of Isaac Anderson the founder and first president of Maryville College.
April 2 – Mark Davidson Trails and Turnpikes
Mark will talk about the area and what there is to see as you hike the many miles of trails or drive the turnpikes that take you through the peaceful side of the Smokies.  
April 9 – Missy Kane – Smoky Mountain Hiking
Missy offers a presentation covering the many trails in the Smoky Mountains to hike, the conditions to expect, what you might see, how to prepare for hiking and more.
April 16 – Jeff Hunter – Wildlife and Roadways
Jeff will be here to talk about the growing amount of wildlife crossing the roads and highways, and what is being done to help reduce the number of accidents, death, and injuries to both humans and animals. He will talk about the concept of building animal crossing bridges over I-40 where most of the accidents occur.
April 23 – Mary Beth Lima – Proper Canning Techniques
Mary Beth will be here to discuss and demonstrate a variety of canning methods, explain the proper techniques, cover safety, and offer a wealth of tips and information on the subject. The perfect Tuesday afternoon for anyone wanting to learn how to can and those who already do to spend time learning from an expert.
April 30 – Libby Weitnauer – Appalachian Music with a Jam Session Afterward
Libby is both a classical violinist and a fiddle player. She has played with numerous local orchestras including the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra and the Maryville College Community Orchestra. Today she finds herself more at home playing the fiddle and the more traditional sounds of Appalachia. Once the meeting is over, there is to be a jam session, if you play bring your instrument with you for fun!