3June2008 Great Smoky Mountain NP (III) and Tennessee Shindig
From Gatlinburg, we re-entered the Park (through its northern entrance) to get to Cades Cove – one of the most popular sites in Great Smoky Mountain NP. A fertile valley floor surrounded by mountain peaks, its abundant wild life was favored by the Cherokees and coveted by early European settlers.
For those with limited time (like ourselves), the best way to see Cades Cove was to go by car on the one-way 11-mile loop which circled the valley floor. In the 1930’s the Civilian Conservation Corps updated this as well as many trails first used by the Cherokees.
Many buildings from the small community of pioneers in the mid 1800’s were preserved and relocated along the outside of the loop to facilitate viewing. The land inside the loop – now lush fields of grass and wildflowers – was where the pioneers planted their crops or allowed their cattle to graze. Derelict fences and crumbled walls, reclaimed by nature, were also evident to careful observers. Not seen in the Mountain Farm Museum (at the southern entrance of the Park) were churches. Travel to nearby villages to attend service took a long time and was fraught with dangers, so it made sense for the early settlers to build their own church. The first one, the Cades Cove Baptist church, was built in 1827. However, factions developed within the parish because of various issues. This led to splintering which yielded another church. The Methodists endured a split as well. I was tempted to think that communities nestled in the relatively inaccessible mountains would not be affected by the Civil War. But services were suspended because of divided loyalties.
The earliest houses were simply heavy logs locked together by notched corners that needed no nails or pegs. The ‘chinks’ (gaps between the logs) were filled with mud. With the advent of efficient sawmills, framed houses with sawed lumber came into existence. Older log houses had new sidings added by their owners. Chimneys, when they appeared later, were built of bricks made on the spot. We saw one which had a ‘granny hole’ in the fireplace so children playing outside could be monitored whilst granny was cooking inside. Improvements came gradually - water had to be carried into the house from the stream, eventually some households were able to pipe it into the house.
People in the mountains had a tradition of helping each other. Settlers built their own houses with the help of neighbors. Help was even extended to strangers and it was not unheard of to put a stranger up for the night. In fact, one house had a ‘stranger room’ added to the porch just for this purpose.
By now, we were familiar with barns, smokehouses, corncribs and springhouses – having seen them at the Mountain Farm Museum. But what was a grist mill? Well this was where corn was ground, to be used in the preparation cornbread or grits. An ingenious system - consisting of millpond, milldam, millrace, wooden flume and wheel – transmitted waterpower to the grindstones. Later wheat was ground into flour for biscuits and cakes. In fact, gristmills became the first industry in Cades Cove; payment was often a portion of the milled product.
Skillful blacksmiths were also very much in demand and their shops were well patronized. Every farm needed to have repairs done and many tools were made of iron. In addition, mules and horses that pulled heavy loads needed to have their shoes pulled, hoofs trimmed and shoes reset every couple of months.
It was a hard life of constant toil. The early settlers literally started from scratch, even clearing the forest before their crops can be planted. Fortunately, the land was fertile and they were amply rewarded for their hard work - besides corn and wheat, there was rye and barley. The farmers even cultivated cotton, flax and tobacco for their own use. Many fruits and vegetables bloomed in their gardens. This led to apple and peach brandies and corn whiskeys – moonshine! The rich wildlife in Cades Cove meant there was no shortage of meat or variety for the dinning table. There was rabbit, quail, grouse and squirrel, plus fish from the streams. Chickens graced the table frequently on Sundays. As a rule meat that could not be easily preserved (from deer or bear) were consumed first; the flesh of from hogs and wild boar that kept well after salting or smoking, lasted the family through the winter.
The lifespan of the people then was only half that of ours - they lived to about forty five.
Courtship proceeded under the watchful eyes of their parents during social occasions that involved the whole families – picnics, harvests, corn huskings, molasses makings.
They married early – as teenagers.
Married couples lived in ‘weaner cabins’, which their parents built for them. They were close to their parents’ homes.
They had loads of kids – ten or twelve was not unheard of – I suppose the average was seven or eight.
I have included the above in juxtaposition to our present day lifestyle – something worth thinking about.
Back to our trip: Motorists in the Park were usually orderly but we came to a standstill when a few cars ahead of us stopped dead in the middle of the road. All necks were craned. Some people got out of their cars albeit gingerly. It was sunset and the temperature had already dropped. Wasn’t it the time wildlife came out to forage for food? A black bear and two cubs were on the far edge of the field. Everyone kept very still hoping that they will saunter over. Alas, they were content to remain where they were. Well, at least we could say we have seen bears in the wild. Sightings of deer no longer excite and we have seen wild turkeys on a few occasions; squirrels - we don’t even talk about seeing them anymore.
To return to Gatlinburg, we turned on to Hyatt thinking that it would get us to the main road faster. But this narrow two-lane gravel road was not good for cars with low clearance and was harsh on the tires. It took us much longer than we estimated.
To have spent so little time in Great Smokys meant we missed out learning all about the efforts by the Park Service to maintain the delicate balance in the complex eco system. Over the years, new species were introduced to rein in over-exuberant ones, endangered species had to be nurtured and their natural predators carefully monitored; wetlands that were drained by previous settlers had to be restored for the benefit of a whole slew of wildlife. Have new strains of plant or animal diseases developed because of increasing pollution? How has the eco system absorbed this strain? What remedies were there? How are the elks doing? Has the glorious variety in species of salamanders that made Great Smoky the “Salamander Capital of the World” multiplied or diminished?
Now, there is a new challenge to contend with – how will ‘global warming’ affect the denizens of the park? Are more resources made available to combat this?
We have been yearning to be immersed in ‘Southern music’ - Tennessee Shindig in nearby Pigeon Forge seemed like the place to be. I think the auditorium seated 1500 people. The cast had maybe thirty performers, including singers, musicians and dancers. Many of the fiddlers, banjo players, guitarists were Tennessee State Champions. Several vocalists had won singing competitions and received various awards. Others had appeared on Grand Ole Opry and other nationwide Country and Western shows. There was the mandatory Q n A session before the show started – the MC asked the audience: “Where yuh’ll from?” Most of the Southern States were represented. Only a handful came from further away. Locals came to celebrate birthdays and wedding anniversaries - many were septuagenarians. Anyway, the first half of the two-hour program highlighted the diversity of music in Tennessee. There was blue grass, old country, new country, gospel and blues. (A pity that the couple of Elvis and Dolly impersonators included was not very good). The second half was a tribute to the music of the decades, starting from the 50’s through to the 80’s. Naturally, rock n roll and rhythm n blues were included. The show ended with more gospel music and many ‘tributes to USA’ pieces. We were somewhat surprised by the muted reaction of the audience. We thought that there would be a lot more clapping and foot stomping, after all the performers were quite enthusiastic and seemed to be giving their best. But I had forgotten that we were all getting on. Perhaps I was one of the few old ones that life music could still galvanize. Yeah, putting me in front of a lively band is like lighting a firecracker under my bottom!
Distance traveled 80.9 miles
The streams along the way to Cades Cove were strong distractions to stop and linger
The little white things, more like moths than butterflies, are also members of the eco-system of the Park
Streams don't all look the same, at least to this city slicker
Want to ride a bicycle? You can rent them in the Park
Forgot to bring your torch or even your tent? There's always the campground store. Hmmm, people were in a bit more in a hurry - maybe they want to make the most of their holiday time
The house was built in th1 1820's. The doors and windows were small to conserve heat; also less structural logs needed to be cut. Imagine cutting and hoisting everything by hand.
The notch - the dovetail notch - that was used in place of pegs or nails; the open spaces between the logs were filled with mud to keep out the wind and water
This butterfly settled close to us
These zigzag fences are really nice
Inside the Cades Cove Primitive Baptist Church, built 1827, everything was austere yet functional
There's always a cemetry next to a church, this one's no exception
This was the Methodist Church with two doors, men and women were supposed to use different entrances. This rule wasn't really followed at this particular church.
The open fields within the Cades Cove Loop. Over the decades, the Park Service had been experimenting with different types of grasses to find out what's best other plants and wildlife
With evening approaching and temperatures lowering, wildlife become more active; we saw a bear with its cubs foraging on the edge of the forest. (use full screen)
The sign at the auditorium where we attended our first country music feast
Yes, it was OK to take pictures before the music started
For those with limited time (like ourselves), the best way to see Cades Cove was to go by car on the one-way 11-mile loop which circled the valley floor. In the 1930’s the Civilian Conservation Corps updated this as well as many trails first used by the Cherokees.
Many buildings from the small community of pioneers in the mid 1800’s were preserved and relocated along the outside of the loop to facilitate viewing. The land inside the loop – now lush fields of grass and wildflowers – was where the pioneers planted their crops or allowed their cattle to graze. Derelict fences and crumbled walls, reclaimed by nature, were also evident to careful observers. Not seen in the Mountain Farm Museum (at the southern entrance of the Park) were churches. Travel to nearby villages to attend service took a long time and was fraught with dangers, so it made sense for the early settlers to build their own church. The first one, the Cades Cove Baptist church, was built in 1827. However, factions developed within the parish because of various issues. This led to splintering which yielded another church. The Methodists endured a split as well. I was tempted to think that communities nestled in the relatively inaccessible mountains would not be affected by the Civil War. But services were suspended because of divided loyalties.
The earliest houses were simply heavy logs locked together by notched corners that needed no nails or pegs. The ‘chinks’ (gaps between the logs) were filled with mud. With the advent of efficient sawmills, framed houses with sawed lumber came into existence. Older log houses had new sidings added by their owners. Chimneys, when they appeared later, were built of bricks made on the spot. We saw one which had a ‘granny hole’ in the fireplace so children playing outside could be monitored whilst granny was cooking inside. Improvements came gradually - water had to be carried into the house from the stream, eventually some households were able to pipe it into the house.
People in the mountains had a tradition of helping each other. Settlers built their own houses with the help of neighbors. Help was even extended to strangers and it was not unheard of to put a stranger up for the night. In fact, one house had a ‘stranger room’ added to the porch just for this purpose.
By now, we were familiar with barns, smokehouses, corncribs and springhouses – having seen them at the Mountain Farm Museum. But what was a grist mill? Well this was where corn was ground, to be used in the preparation cornbread or grits. An ingenious system - consisting of millpond, milldam, millrace, wooden flume and wheel – transmitted waterpower to the grindstones. Later wheat was ground into flour for biscuits and cakes. In fact, gristmills became the first industry in Cades Cove; payment was often a portion of the milled product.
Skillful blacksmiths were also very much in demand and their shops were well patronized. Every farm needed to have repairs done and many tools were made of iron. In addition, mules and horses that pulled heavy loads needed to have their shoes pulled, hoofs trimmed and shoes reset every couple of months.
It was a hard life of constant toil. The early settlers literally started from scratch, even clearing the forest before their crops can be planted. Fortunately, the land was fertile and they were amply rewarded for their hard work - besides corn and wheat, there was rye and barley. The farmers even cultivated cotton, flax and tobacco for their own use. Many fruits and vegetables bloomed in their gardens. This led to apple and peach brandies and corn whiskeys – moonshine! The rich wildlife in Cades Cove meant there was no shortage of meat or variety for the dinning table. There was rabbit, quail, grouse and squirrel, plus fish from the streams. Chickens graced the table frequently on Sundays. As a rule meat that could not be easily preserved (from deer or bear) were consumed first; the flesh of from hogs and wild boar that kept well after salting or smoking, lasted the family through the winter.
The lifespan of the people then was only half that of ours - they lived to about forty five.
Courtship proceeded under the watchful eyes of their parents during social occasions that involved the whole families – picnics, harvests, corn huskings, molasses makings.
They married early – as teenagers.
Married couples lived in ‘weaner cabins’, which their parents built for them. They were close to their parents’ homes.
They had loads of kids – ten or twelve was not unheard of – I suppose the average was seven or eight.
I have included the above in juxtaposition to our present day lifestyle – something worth thinking about.
Back to our trip: Motorists in the Park were usually orderly but we came to a standstill when a few cars ahead of us stopped dead in the middle of the road. All necks were craned. Some people got out of their cars albeit gingerly. It was sunset and the temperature had already dropped. Wasn’t it the time wildlife came out to forage for food? A black bear and two cubs were on the far edge of the field. Everyone kept very still hoping that they will saunter over. Alas, they were content to remain where they were. Well, at least we could say we have seen bears in the wild. Sightings of deer no longer excite and we have seen wild turkeys on a few occasions; squirrels - we don’t even talk about seeing them anymore.
To return to Gatlinburg, we turned on to Hyatt thinking that it would get us to the main road faster. But this narrow two-lane gravel road was not good for cars with low clearance and was harsh on the tires. It took us much longer than we estimated.
To have spent so little time in Great Smokys meant we missed out learning all about the efforts by the Park Service to maintain the delicate balance in the complex eco system. Over the years, new species were introduced to rein in over-exuberant ones, endangered species had to be nurtured and their natural predators carefully monitored; wetlands that were drained by previous settlers had to be restored for the benefit of a whole slew of wildlife. Have new strains of plant or animal diseases developed because of increasing pollution? How has the eco system absorbed this strain? What remedies were there? How are the elks doing? Has the glorious variety in species of salamanders that made Great Smoky the “Salamander Capital of the World” multiplied or diminished?
Now, there is a new challenge to contend with – how will ‘global warming’ affect the denizens of the park? Are more resources made available to combat this?
We have been yearning to be immersed in ‘Southern music’ - Tennessee Shindig in nearby Pigeon Forge seemed like the place to be. I think the auditorium seated 1500 people. The cast had maybe thirty performers, including singers, musicians and dancers. Many of the fiddlers, banjo players, guitarists were Tennessee State Champions. Several vocalists had won singing competitions and received various awards. Others had appeared on Grand Ole Opry and other nationwide Country and Western shows. There was the mandatory Q n A session before the show started – the MC asked the audience: “Where yuh’ll from?” Most of the Southern States were represented. Only a handful came from further away. Locals came to celebrate birthdays and wedding anniversaries - many were septuagenarians. Anyway, the first half of the two-hour program highlighted the diversity of music in Tennessee. There was blue grass, old country, new country, gospel and blues. (A pity that the couple of Elvis and Dolly impersonators included was not very good). The second half was a tribute to the music of the decades, starting from the 50’s through to the 80’s. Naturally, rock n roll and rhythm n blues were included. The show ended with more gospel music and many ‘tributes to USA’ pieces. We were somewhat surprised by the muted reaction of the audience. We thought that there would be a lot more clapping and foot stomping, after all the performers were quite enthusiastic and seemed to be giving their best. But I had forgotten that we were all getting on. Perhaps I was one of the few old ones that life music could still galvanize. Yeah, putting me in front of a lively band is like lighting a firecracker under my bottom!
Distance traveled 80.9 miles
The streams along the way to Cades Cove were strong distractions to stop and linger
The little white things, more like moths than butterflies, are also members of the eco-system of the Park
Streams don't all look the same, at least to this city slicker
Want to ride a bicycle? You can rent them in the Park
Forgot to bring your torch or even your tent? There's always the campground store. Hmmm, people were in a bit more in a hurry - maybe they want to make the most of their holiday time
The house was built in th1 1820's. The doors and windows were small to conserve heat; also less structural logs needed to be cut. Imagine cutting and hoisting everything by hand.
The notch - the dovetail notch - that was used in place of pegs or nails; the open spaces between the logs were filled with mud to keep out the wind and water
This butterfly settled close to us
These zigzag fences are really nice
Inside the Cades Cove Primitive Baptist Church, built 1827, everything was austere yet functional
There's always a cemetry next to a church, this one's no exception
This was the Methodist Church with two doors, men and women were supposed to use different entrances. This rule wasn't really followed at this particular church.
The open fields within the Cades Cove Loop. Over the decades, the Park Service had been experimenting with different types of grasses to find out what's best other plants and wildlife
With evening approaching and temperatures lowering, wildlife become more active; we saw a bear with its cubs foraging on the edge of the forest. (use full screen)
The sign at the auditorium where we attended our first country music feast
Yes, it was OK to take pictures before the music started
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