July '12 Mus. of Appalachia Camping

Left on Friday, July 27. After a long winding road, we finally arrived at Big Ridge State Park on Norris Lake and set up camp.

Fixing a late lunch

Resting after camp set-up

Interesting tent across the street

Saturday - visited the Museum of Appalachia, a collection of over 250,000 items of local history, most from the early 1900s. The owner was personally acquainted with many of the people from whom he bought objects.

Mark Twain welcomes us. Although he was born in Missouri, his parents lived in Fentress County, Tennessee for several years before moving to Missouri. Their cabin has been brought to the museum.

Tom Cassidy's (1920-89) house was the first we saw. About 7 feet square, here's what Tom said about it: "I've got that little cot in there, a chair, a stove for heat and cooking, a frying pan, a bean pot, an old dresser, my fiddle (made by his grandfather), and my pistol. What more does a man need?"

One side of Tom's cabin. Many mountain people papered their walls with newspapers for warmth.

The other side of his cabin. I don't know if he had a car, but there's a license plate. Mr. Irwin bought the cabin much as Tom had left it, 18 years after he died in a tragic accident, from his 88-year-old brother.

This cabin, about the same size as Tom's, was a child's play house.

Homemade toys.

I liked this simple little bed with tiny quilt.

Howard Baker, long-time Tennessee senator and Reagan's chief of staff, had his own display. Here's an interesting and funny story about how he came to take this unusual picture of the White House. Be sure to enlarge and read it!

Rocking chair made of horseshoes

Doc Osborne's Medicine House

I only took pictures of a fraction of the musical items. Tennessee is, after all, the birthplace of popular country music. Here's an ironing board instrument, probably a dulcimer.

Ukelele made of matchsticks and a musical washboard, among other items.

Unusual burial case, with glass window for viewing the deceased's face. After the viewing, the oval cover (above) is screwed down.

Unusual hearse with metal curtains

Interesting vintage ad - debate over health care is not a new issue.

Matchstick church, with furnishings inside

Inside the church. Note "Church Covenant" on left side of platform. Camp Creek also had one of these, as well as the church we visited Sunday.

I thought Laura might like this. A granny midwife brought her into the world.

There were lots of quilts, of course. I only took pictures of a few. Stars are a common theme.

This unusual quilt features a scene and various icons painted onto white fabric, then quilted around each item. Each star you see was quilted, as well as the letters and pictures.

This creepy jail cell held four inmates! When all four bunks were lowered, there was barely a foot of space in the middle!

Art photo of millstones.

Art found a peacock feather. The peacock doesn't look too interested in getting it back.

Display of looms, spindles, spinning wheels, and woven fabrics

Old post office window and boxes

The postmaster's desk

General store

Harrison Mayes, a coal miner, planted hundreds or even thousands of these cement crosses all across America, in 44 states. He wanted Mr. Irwin to have these for the museum.

OK, so he wanted to plant them on the nine planets and the moon too. A little strange? Definitely, but he did have zeal.

This one was supposed to be planted on Jupiter in the 1990s (He died in 1986).

Notice bicycle with attached sign. He rode it everywhere locally, since he didn't drive a car. Jacket is covered with hand-painted crosses.

Map of his travels planting crosses in the 1960s.

A scale model of Mayes' house and workshop. He wanted people to read the message from the air.

Appalachian schoolroom - note "Christy" poster.

Another view of the classroom