TNCAMPBE-L Archives

From: mcurtis <>
Subject: [TNCAMPBE-L] Our Mountain Heritage
Date: Wed, 18 Oct 2000 22:01:24 -0400

Sorry for the cross-posting, but the message is relevant to both groups.

I have recently had an opportunity to attend two wonderful festivals
that
provided lots of insight into our mountain ancestros' way of life. This
past weekend I attended Homecoming at the Museum of Appalachia in
Anderson
County, Tennessee. This event is absolutely incredible. Thousands of
people, lots of food and music - at one time I counted 10 different
groups
playing simultaneously at various places on the grounds. Everything from
Scottish bagpipes to 5-time world champion banjo player Raymond
Fairchild.
Especially interesting was the craft exibitions going on everywhere.
There
was molasses-making, woodcarving, quilting, musical instrument-making,
blacksmithing, and a hundred other old-time crafts being demonstrated by
some very talented people. Genealogy was well-represented too, with
groups
from Anderson County, Union County, the East Tennessee Historical
Society
and many others. The highlight of the event for me was getting a book
signed and having my picture taken with John Rice Irwin, the founder of
the Museum of Appalachia and a true expert on Appalachian culture and
history.

My other visit was to the Mountain Heritage Festival in the Stinking
Creek
section of Campbell County, Tennessee over Labor Day weekend. This is
similar to Homecoming, but on a much smaller scale. It is conducted
annually by the residents of Stinking Creek, and it is a great deal of
fun. I had an opportunity to talk to many wonderful residents of the
area, and
several helped me track down the Hatfield family cemetery in the area
that
I had been unable to locate up until that time. The man who owned the
land
showed me where the graves were located and allowed me to wander through
the area. He also passed on stories told to him by a great aunt when he
was a youn boy in the 1930s. This aunt had known my Hatfield ancestors
from when she was a young girl in the 1860s time period! The land that
this gentleman owns has been in his family since his second great
grandfather purchased it from the estate of my fourth great grandfather
in
1867. I can't begin to tell you what a great thrill all of this was for
me.

The sad thing is that the Mountain Heritage Festival seems to be
dwindling
away. Several people lamented the fact that as many of the older people
pass away, the younger people don't seem to show much interest in
continuing these wonderful traditions.

If you get an opportunity to visit either or both of these events next
year, I strongly encourage you to do so. You won't be disappointed!


Mike Curtis
http://homepages.rootsweb.com/~curtis/

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• [TNCAMPBE-L] Our Mountain Heritage by mcurtis <>