Museum of Appalachia - GO THERE!!!!!

Subject: Museum of Appalachia - GO THERE!!!!!
From: catspaw49
Date: 03 Jul 00 - 12:36 AM

For far too many years I drove past a sign on I-75 in Eastern Tennessee advertizing the "Museum of Appalachia." Maybe it was the original design of the sign or the lettering or gawd knows what..........I just always had a feeling that it was another of those "Dogpatch" places. You know what I mean......"Come see the sterotype characters and laugh at the hilljacks." That kind of thing is so prevalent and it raises my anger to ridiculous levels, but that, in this case, is another story.

The area of East Tennessee/S.E.Kentucky/S.W. Virginia/N.W. North Carolina should be a state unto itself. Some of our richest heritage of truly American music grew and thrived in those beautiful mountains as did the spirit and perseverance of the people who lived there. There are few places where the true oral/aural tradition of folk music can be seen/heard so clearly. From mountain families and settlement schools, lone fiddlers and family bands, from homemade banjos and dulcimers, to the stage of the Ryman, the songs of old were carried along and changed and added to. New ones were written using the styles and tunes but telling the tales of the place where they lived. The Carters, the Ritchies, the McClains......Frank Proffitt and Grandpa Jones.......All were influenced by the land, the people, the mountains, often the poverty, and the very traditions they held. It is impossible not to be there and not hear the music, share the history, and feel the touch of this most special of places.

The Museum of Appalachia is simply unbelievable. The number of artifacts that John Rice Irwin has collected and displays is phenomenal. Whether its a collection of Indian pipe bowls a thousand years old and hollowed out using reed and sand as a drill, or a pair of Howard Baker's penny loafers, he has tried to give each a place in the region's history. A display of the meager possessions and the story of a cave hermit is set between exhibits of Alvin York and Cordell Hull. Many buildings, from barns to houses, schools, and outhouses have been moved there and accurately reassembled and displayed as though the owner had "just gone out for a bucket of water." Above all, the whole place is done with love and respect for the people of the region.

For all of you music lovers, there is plenty, including daily performers just sitting around various places and pickin' or fiddlin' away and talking to the folks that pass by. Our boys were completely enamored of an old fiddler who played "just for them." In October of every year, there is a reunion which draws some HUGE names in mountain folk, including our own Bill in Alabama (Bill Foster), who has become only an infrequent 'Catter of late, but as the brochure says, "has a PhD. but still plays our kind of music." The reunion performer list reads like a "Who's-Who" of mountain and bluegrass. And finally.................

The section of the museum devoted to instruments will warm your heart. Unrestored homemade dulcimers, mandos, fiddles, guitars, and banjos all over the place! Then there are things like Jon Hartford's first banjo and Grandpa Jones' first "decent" guitar, which was just laying there in a little section devoted to Grandpa. Rick my friend, if you read this, you would LOVE it!!!

Anyway......If you're passing through north of Knoxville on I-75, plan on a few hours stop.....You will never regret it.

Spaw

Subject: RE: Museum of Appalachia - GO THERE!!!!!
From: Sandy Paton
Date: 03 Jul 00 - 12:44 AM

Thanks, 'Spaw! Sounds like a place we'll have to visit as soon as we can. Can we find the date of the October reunion somewhere?

Subject: RE: Museum of Appalachia - GO THERE!!!!!
From: GUEST,JimmyC
Date: 03 Jul 00 - 12:45 AM

Been there a few years ago, agree with you wholeheartedly, well worth the visit, the place I believe is called Norris, Tennessee. Beautiful country and wonderful people,

Subject: RE: Museum of Appalachia - GO THERE!!!!!
From: Pene Azul
Date: 03 Jul 00 - 01:01 AM

Sandy,

In case nobody has your answer, I found the following contact info on this page (click):

Museum of Appalachia
P.O. Box 318
Norris, TN 37828

Phone: [phone] or 494-0514

PA

Subject: RE: Museum of Appalachia - GO THERE!!!!!
From: Pene Azul
Date: 03 Jul 00 - 01:06 AM

If you're looking for the Tennessee Fall Homecoming, here's a page (click). It says that the dates are October 12-15.

PA

Subject: RE: Museum of Appalachia - GO THERE!!!!!
From: catspaw49
Date: 03 Jul 00 - 01:16 AM

Sorry, should have posted some of this before......

The museum is located at Exit 122 on I-75 (about a mile or so east) and is in Norris, Tn. Norris was the town built when Norris Dam was built, the first of the TVA dams, in 1936. Karen and I just spent several days in the beautiful state park that is there.....Lovely place.

The Reunion, "The Tennessee Fall Homecoming" for 2000 is October 12-15. Here's a few of the 400 "musicians and mountain folk" who were there last year:

Ralph Stanley, Doyle Lawson, Kenny Baker, Josh Graves, John Hartford, Mac Wiseman, Ricky Skaggs, Janette Carter, Jim Clayton, Acuff's Smoky Mountain Boys, Ramona Jones (who's daughter, Alisa Wall, is one HELL of a hammered player BTW), Judie Pagter, Bill and Laurie Sky, Ted Olson, Norma Davis, Larkin Family, Foster Family, etc.......

Spaw

Subject: RE: Museum of Appalachia - GO THERE!!!!!
From: catspaw49
Date: 03 Jul 00 - 01:18 AM

Thanks Pene......I should have looked on the web first.

Spaw

Subject: RE: Museum of Appalachia - GO THERE!!!!!
From: katlaughing
Date: 03 Jul 00 - 01:29 AM

Wow! Spaw, if they ever need a PR writer they should hire you! You really painted the picture, darlin'...so glad you folks got to have some time there and the Homecoming sounds fab..,and 400 miles is not that far in Why-Oh-Myn!**BG** Sounds like a great place for Mudcatters to meet at, too!

Nice ta see ya back,

luvyakat

Subject: RE: Museum of Appalachia - GO THERE!!!!!
From: catspaw49
Date: 03 Jul 00 - 08:54 AM

Thanks kat......Good idea.

Lots of wildlife running around there too which the kids really liked, including a jackass which reminded me of someone around here...just couldn't place who.

Spaw

Subject: RE: Museum of Appalachia - GO THERE!!!!!
From: Sandy Paton
Date: 03 Jul 00 - 09:30 PM

Well done, folks.

'Spaw: did you know that Alisa got her first hammered dulcimer lessons from Cathy Barton way out yonder in Mountain View? We played at the Big Muddy Festival in Boonville, MO, with Ramona, Alisa, and the family a few years ago. Had a great time!

We're thinking of trying to combine a trip to the Museum with our trip to the Getaway this year. Two birds with one rock, as Kendall might say.

Sandy

Subject: RE: Museum of Appalachia - GO THERE!!!!!
From: Amergin
Date: 03 Jul 00 - 10:24 PM

Sounds pretty cool, Spaw. My folks in the come out of the Appalachian region. In fact, Cordell Hull was a cousin of my great-grandfather's. I'm gonna have to check that place out sometime...

Amergin

Subject: RE: Museum of Appalachia - GO THERE!!!!!
From: Bev and Jerry
Date: 04 Jul 00 - 02:02 AM

We also went there a few years ago. It was December so the place was practically deserted but we found a small cabin with a fire going in the fireplace and three or four musicians. We joined them and swapped songs for an hour or so. What a treat.

Everything 'spaw sez is true and more. Most unique thing was the foot pedal powered device which works some fan-like blades over the table to automatically shoo flies away!

Don't miss it.

Bev and Jerry

Subject: RE: Museum of Appalachia - GO THERE!!!!!
From: catspaw49
Date: 04 Jul 00 - 11:47 AM

Sandy, that'd be one great trip! And those lessons from Cathy Para must have been really great!!!

I'm glad to see and hear that others have been favorably impressed as we were. I have a couple of PM's additionally saying the same thing. Sometimes ypu get excited about something and you finally see it as no big deal, but in this case, its good to hear from some of you that were also taken with the place.

Spaw

Subject: RE: Museum of Appalachia - GO THERE!!!!!
From: p.j.
Date: 04 Jul 00 - 12:23 PM

Hey Sandy,

During the week I spent with Mick, he pretty much convinced me that I need to get myself over to the Getaway this year. The dates happen to fall during a couple of weeks when El Swanno will be away in Oregon and I'm lookin' for some music and good company. If I can figure how to combine it with a stop in Tenn. at the Museum, is there any chance of a real-live Mudcat meeting there?

'Spaw, whaddya think? Wanna make good on your offer to let us buss your bum in person? We could represent the Marietta Memorial Kudzu and Chigger Chapter. Don't worry, those of us from South Cobb can read all the Museum labels to those of you from Campbell. (Is that enough to bring Karen up to her feet and down to Tenn.?):o)

PJ

Subject: RE: Museum of Appalachia - GO THERE!!!!!
From: Sandy Paton
Date: 04 Jul 00 - 01:31 PM

We'll have to work on the plan as the time draws nigh. I can never schedule anything this far ahead, but a 'Catter convention at the Museum, before or after the Getaway, would be great!

Sandy

Subject: RE: Museum of Appalachia - GO THERE!!!!!
From: catspaw49
Date: 05 Jul 00 - 01:29 AM

Ya' know, kat is considering coming to visit this fall in Louisville and we have Bonnie coming down sometime then too, so ...........

Karen just killed a lot of vacation time and with the new job she doesn't build as fast, but this would be a great place to meet. Giac also lives in Tennessee and of course Bill Foster will be coming....This has potential. Let's all work toward it although Karen and I have completely given up trying to plan anything firm in advance anymore because it always blows up, but maybe if we just work at it sideways.....

Spaw

Subject: RE: Museum of Appalachia - GO THERE!!!!!
From: catspaw49
Date: 06 Jul 00 - 12:02 PM

Just a quick refresh for Brother Fielding who missed this thread, but now has pictures from the instrument room of the place. I think the pix even impressed Rick.

Spaw

Subject: RE: Museum of Appalachia - GO THERE!!!!!
From: catspaw49
Date: 18 Jul 00 - 11:54 PM

Paddymac tells me he was just there and wanted to post....Here's the thread my friend.

Spaw

Subject: RE: Museum of Appalachia - GO THERE!!!!!
From: Amergin
Date: 19 Jul 00 - 01:03 AM

Thx, Spaw, I know you didn't do this for me or anything, but I was trying to find this for a friend of mine... I'll have to trace it for future reference...

Amergin

Subject: RE: Museum of Appalachia - GO THERE!!!!!
From: paddymac
Date: 19 Jul 00 - 11:24 AM

'Spaw's plug for the "Museum Of Appalachia" caught my attention and when I was unexpectedly in the area last weekend I made it a point to go by and see just what it was that ol' Spaw was so enthusiastic about. The museum is located in northeastern TN about one mile east of I-75 on the Norris road (Exit 122). I spent about four hours leisurely browsing through the place, including the shop in the entrance building, the Hall of Fame building, and the multitude of trails and "living exhibits" (including old time performers busking all over the place). Truth be told, I could've spent a whole day just in the Hall of Fame building if I'd been by myself. The place has a magnificent collection of old instruments, many of them home made, and some that are pure kitsch, just for contrast. It's amazing what folks could (and did) make out of gourds back then. It was a glorious day and a grand experience. I enjoyed everything about the place, but was disappoionted I had eaten before we got there. The smells coming out of the little restaurant area in the entrance building were nothing short of mouth-watering good. The musuem is having it's annual "Homecoming" October 12-15. (There's a kid-focused day on Wednesday the 11th.). I can tell you for certain that I'm doing all I can to get there for it. There are over 100 acts/performers listed on the program for the four day event, including John Hartford, Roy Acuff's Smokey Mtn Boys, Earl Scruggs w/ Family & Friends, Janette Carter, the Cluster Pluckers (gotta love that name), Doyle Larson & Quicksilver, Dr. Ralph Stanley, and a whole bunch more, including the Knoxville Pipe Band. They expect a crowd of somewhere around 15,000-17,000 people, so if you want to go, a bit of pre-planning might be helpful. Anyone interested can contact the Museum by phone at (865)-494-7680 or 0514, or by mail at PO Box 1189, Norris, TN 37828. There's also a toll free number for the Anderson County Tourism Council (800)-524-3602.

This place, and the "homecoming" strike me as naturals for phoakies of all sorts. Maybe we ought to organize a "Mudcat Ceili" at some nearby rendevouz. Does anybody more familiar with the area have some ideas or suggestions? It would be a hoot!

'Spaw - thanks very much for bringing this wonderful place to the attention of 'catters. It is really well worth the effort to visit. If anybody is near the place and doesn't stop in they will have missed a real treat.

Subject: RE: Museum of Appalachia - GO THERE!!!!!
From: catspaw49
Date: 19 Jul 00 - 03:47 PM

I'm glad you too found it as enjoyable as I did paddymac. The Hall of Fame building alone is worth the trip and the other big building with all the various displays from giunsmithing to dolls and everything in between could stand alone too. Its good to have someone else validate my feelings for the place because its so easy to get hung up on something that you miss the fact that its actually a drag! This place is not.

BTW, did you see the display of "Roadsign Religion" and read the guy's history? I've seen those for years and was amazed that they all came from one man....who didn't drive! Whatever else he was, he was certainly a "man on a mission!"

There's also a lot of barnyard critters roaming around the place and one of the peacocks was "displaying" beautifully. I spent a few minutes getting close enough to get a great shot and just as I was about to click, he folded up! Amazing how fast they can fold that tail!!

Spaw

Subject: RE: Museum of Appalachia - GO THERE!!!!!
From: Hollowfox
Date: 19 Jul 00 - 04:24 PM

Actually, Spaw, that area almost was a state. From 1784 to 1788, there was a movement to make what is now eastern Tennessee the 14th state. The capitol was Jonesborough (now in Tennessee), where the National Storytelling Festival is held - the week before the Getaway. I'll have to get more vacation time next year, if I can, since the two places are so close together. The "Lost State of Franklin" has always been different; part of a southern state during the American Civil War, but the site of the first Abolitionist newpaper, etc. It's not so much an anomoly, but enchanted. Truly a Magic place.