Sign # 44 Clay County Heritage The Clay County Historical and Arts Council Museum occupies this brick building constructed in 1912 and used as the county jail until 1972. Its unique features include thick concrete walls, steel doors, and the actual jail cells that housed prisoners. The museum contains exhibits depicting the early life of the Cherokee. Other exhibits include a pioneer doctor s office, an authentic moonshine still and an early farmhouse kitchen. The beautiful Hiwassee River valley, located just northeast of Hayesville, was for many years home to hundreds of Cherokee. Spikebuck Town or Quanassee Village was located on rich Hiwassee River bottomland. A model of this village is displayed in the museum. The early inhabitants built a large earthen mound that was the ceremonial center for the town and was used Photo by Ron Wallace Hiwassee River Valley for many years was home to hundreds of Cherokee. Music was a vital part of life centered around the courthouse. Photo by Ron Wallace for hundreds of years. Spikebuck mound is preserved and listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It can be reached by a walking trail from this site. The picturesque Clay County Courthouse, located on the town square, was constructed in 1888. Throughout the years, in addition to civil activities, the large courtroom and the outside square area also served to bring the communities together to enjoy music. There were annual singing conventions, concerts by well-known musicians, and contests featuring individuals, groups, and choirs. These music events now take place in the town square. The courthouse structure was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1975. Lura - Life-sized hand carved Cherokee basket weaver. Photo by Carla Beck Barn loom over 150 years old was used by slaves.
Sign # 45 Cheoah You are standing in the former Cherokee town of Cheoah, or Otter Town, at the heart of the old Cherokee Nation, an area that native people have continuously occupied for more than 10,000 years. The Cherokee territory once included parts of North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Tennessee, Kentucky, West Virginia and Virginia. Cheoah was in present day Graham County. Other nearby Cherokee towns included Talula, Connicheloe, Gat Astu, Tsudayehi, Stecoah, Tuskeegee, Buffalo Town, and Ustanali. These settlements spread through the valleys along the many creeks and rivers that wind through the mountains. About 500 Cherokee people lived in the Cheoah Valley before the United States Army forcibly deported Cherokees to Oklahoma on the Trail of Tears in 1838. Snowbird The Snowbird Community has a library, clinic, day care and community center. Old Army Road About eight miles of this roadbed is still intact on U.S. Forest Service property. The Old Army Road was built over an ancient footpath connecting Cheoah to the Valley Towns. More than 100 people from the Cheoah Valley hid in the mountains at the time, and remained in their homeland along with nearly 700 other Cherokees in other parts of Western North Carolina. Today, Graham County is home to the Snowbird Community, part of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians. Around 500 enrolled members live on tribal lands throughout Graham County. To learn more, please visit the Junaluska Memorial Site and Museum on Junaluska Road, about.5 miles from here in Robbinsville: (828) 479-4727. 1837 U.S. Army Survey Map of Tallullah Creek Showing Talulah Dance House. National Archives and Records Administration
Sign # 46 Bethel Rural Community Organization Ten thousand years ago, Cherokee ancestors inhabited the lands of Bethel (Pigeon Valley), taking advantage of natural amenities: rich soils for farming, 13 miles of streams, the Pigeon River, and an enormous variety of native plant and animal life. Bethel is the location of the oldest human settlement in Haywood County. (L) Painting by Janice Swanger depicting an 1807 scene of Devon Farm at Lenoir s Creek in Bethel. It is the oldest continuing farm with the longest continuing herd of cattle (1849) in Haywood County. The Blue Ridge Parkway lies at Bethel s southern border, and the community s headwaters are blanketed by the Pisgah National Forest with Black Balsam Knob, Cold Mountain and Mount Pisgah providing striking contrast to farmlands and valleys below. Located in the historic 1885 (R) North Carolina marker on Highway 110 designating site of Cherokee villages. Bethel Presbyterian Church, Bethel Rural Community Organization s mission is to locate and coordinate local and regional resources that enhance the quality of rural life in Bethel while preserving its lands and history. The organization is a leader in the state s farmland preservation efforts and has collected Books 1 6 of Legends, Tales & History of Cold Mountain, a DVD (Walking in the Footsteps of Those Who Came Before Us), a Cold Mountain Heritage Tour CD, and historic prints to document the farm and historic heritage of the area. Cold Mountain was made famous by Charles Frazier in the book and subsequent movie of the same name. These items are available through www.bethelrural.org. Image courtesy of the Museum of North Carolina Handicrafts G.C. Monroe painting of Osborne Boundary Oak and Osborne Farm. This painting depicts the agricultural and natural heritage of Bethel.
Haywood County Quilt Trails Sign # 47 Have you ever wondered about the significance of the colorful quilt squares that you see along Main Street and in our countryside? The Haywood County Quilt Trails (HCQT) project tells our history by featuring colorful and meaningful quilt blocks installed on barns, public buildings, shops, and other structures throughout the county. For centuries, handmade quilts have been a much-loved symbol of local heritage, family and the community. Quilt blocks provide representation of these attributes by telling a story while providing a splash of color along major roads and in the rural countryside. Vibrant quilt patterns are painted on pre-built wooden squares and installed on the buildings they represent. The Smoky Falls Lodge in Maggie Valley chose the Bear Claw pattern to symbolize the scenic beauty of the valley and the connection to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and the Blue Ridge Parkway. The Moon Over Cold Mountain block, located in Cruso, depicts a quilt pattern showing a circular moon, a sharp triangular mountain and a symbol for each of the four seasons. The Bridge to Learning quilt block at Central Haywood High School depicts school symbols in a circular motif a common geometry for traditional quilt blocks to remind us of the lifelong cycle of learning, living, and how the local school brings together all parts of the community. HCQT provides yet another reason to explore our historic county and enjoy its surrounding beauty. The HCQT connects our community by promoting quilting, storytelling, and rural heritage through the blocks. Have fun locating blocks along the trails and learning the wonderful stories behind site locations and the quilt patterns represented. There are dozens of blocks already featured on the trail and an ever-growing list of new blocks being added. For a quilt trail map and to learn more about each quilt block, go to www.haywoodquilttrails.com or visit one of the Haywood County Visitor Centers. This is a heritage project of the Haywood County Tourism Development Authority. The Boone Orchard Apple House, in Waynesville, built ca. 1920, was an apple packing house. It had a hand-pulled rope elevator to transport apples to the lower level, where its thick walls and heavy insulation of sawdust and shavings provided cool storage.
Sign # 48 Welcome to the Blue Ridge National Heritage Area A place unlike any other on Earth, where ancient landscapes enchant the eye and age-old traditions warm the heart. You are now in one of America s most cherished and celebrated natural landscapes, the mountains and foothills of Western North Carolina. The natural heritage of these ancient mountains, some of the oldest in the world, combined with the cultural heritage of the people who have lived here over centuries have created a place so special in our country it has been honored with the designation of National Heritage Area. Photo by Bill Lea Photo by Hugh Morton From high mountaintops to secluded coves, the natural beauty of the Blue Ridge National Heritage Area meets the eye at every turn. Here, you ll find The highest mountain east of the Mississippi Mount Mitchell The deepest gorge in the Eastern United States Linville Gorge The oldest river in North America the New River The most visited National Park lands in the country Great Smoky Mountains National Park and the Blue Ridge Parkway Cherokee heritage more than 10,000 years old America s largest home Biltmore Estate Music born and bred in these mountains bluegrass, old-time, gospel and more that has influenced many styles of American music. Handcraft traditions unmatched anywhere in the country Fresh, delicious food from local farms in restaurants, stores, and farmers markets. Visit our kiosk inside this Welcome Center to learn more, or go to www.blueridgeheritage.com. The music born and bred in these ancient mountains has widely influenced the development of other genres of American music. The region was honored as a National Heritage Area for its rich cultural heritage--the 10,000 year old history of the Cherokee, craft traditions, foodways and farms, and music as well as its natural scenic beauty. Top, from L to R, photos taken by or courtesy of: Cherokee Historical Association; Robin Dreyer, Penland School of Crafts; Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project; Jerry Nelson Photography, courtesy of the Folk Heritage Committee. Lower photo by Donna Absher.
Sign # 49 Museum of North Carolina Handicrafts What do a Civil War veteran, High Sheriff, Navajo Indian Superintendent, Extension Agent, and craft museum have in common Shelton House. In 1875, Stephen Jehu Shelton, Civil War Veteran and High Sheriff of Haywood County, and Mahala Conley Shelton completed this Charleston-style home on a knoll at the South entrance to the emerging tourist town of Waynesville. Son, Will Taylor Shelton, Superintendent of the Navajo Shiprock Reservation and friend to the Cherokee, and his wife Hattie purchased the home, developed a dairy farm, and accented the surrounding landscape with magnificent dahlia and produce gardens. The historic barn, completed Woodcarvings are featured throughout the museum. A sampling of the crafts found in the museum - Cherokee pottery, a corn bead plant necklace and a hand woven, dyed and crocheted blanket. inside, accommodates farm displays and meetings and has been an agricultural icon in Waynesville for more than 100 years. In 1977, Mary Cornwell, Haywood County Home Extension Agent, and several Village of Yesteryear crafters from the North Carolina State Fair selected Shelton House as the home of the Museum of North Carolina Handicrafts. A variety of traditional North Carolina crafts is showcased in the Museum collection. Will Shelton s authentic Navajo rugs and hand-crafted Native American pieces as well as modern-day Cherokee crafts are exhibited in the Native American Room. William Taylor Shelton s collection of Acoma, Navajo, Hopi and Sioux artifacts.
Sign # 50 The Perry N. Rudnick Art & Nature Trail Art and nature combine to provide a special experience for those who walk along this quiet one-mile pathway. Here you will find public art created by local and internationally known artists, interpretive signage, and an array of regional plant species. The trail meanders through three distinct ecosystems on the 50 acre property trillium and fern wetland, hardwood forest with rhododendron and mountain laurel, and wildflower meadow. Small streams cross the property, and some of the trees are over 100 years old. Right: Whirligig, 2004, Vollis Simpson. Photo by Rimas Zailskas Detail from Flower Garden, 2003, Fred and Kato Guggenheim. Volunteers from the Carolina Mountain Club built and maintain the trails on the property. The installation of public art along the nature trail was the inspiration of The Center for Craft, Creativity & Design, Inc., an organization formerly housed nearby, now located in downtown Asheville. There are 14 installations of fanciful, whimsical creations in metal, wood, glass and other outdoor resilient materials. The property belonged to the late Kathryn Arnold and Rufus Kellogg and is presently owned by the University of North Carolina-Asheville. This unique trail was created with grants from the Perry N. Rudnick Fund and the labor and care of volunteers from the Carolina Mountain Club and residents from surrounding neighborhoods. Meadow Trail Bench, 2003, Sean Pace. Photos by Rimas Zailskas
Sign # 51 Howard Gap Road Before the arrival of the white man, Native Americans had created a series of trails established over centuries as they trekked from their winter quarters along the eastern coast into their cooler mountain campgrounds during the summer months. One of these trails that ran for 300 miles from the sea at Charleston, South Carolina was also the best route to cross the Continental Divide. Cutting through dense forest and laurel thickets, the steep trail scaled the rugged isolated mountains of Western North Carolina through its easiest gap the one Team of oxen climbing up Howard Gap, circa 1800s. Polk County Historical Association NC Collection, Pack Memorial Library Trekking the early Howard Gap Road, settlers crossed a cane-lined creek, later aptly named Cane Creek, less than one-half mile before the road s terminus on present day US Hwy 25. Buggy in Cane Creek, circa 1880s. that straddled Miller Mountain and Tryon Peak at Round Mountain and would come to bear the name Howard s Gap. North Carolina South Carolina This old Indian trail, presently known as Howard Gap Road, terminated in the open space of ancient savannah grasslands and cane breaks bordering Cane Creek in Fletcher. (.3 miles north at its present day intersection with the Norfolk Southern railroad tracks.) Indigenous river cane extended for miles into and beyond Fairview; and the Native Americans and early pioneers used the stripped cane for making baskets, chair bottoms, even pots and water vessels. Map of Howard Gap Road, Arthur N. Hale, History of Howard Gap Road in North and South Carolina, Polk County Historical Association, 2001.
Sign # 52 Historic Johnson Farm Museum & Heritage Education Center In 1874, South Carolina tobacco farmer Oliver Moss bought land in the French Broad River Valley. He built a large brick home that took six years to complete. When the burley tobacco markets collapsed, Moss sold his property to Robert Leverett for $4,000 in 1888. When Leverett died in 1913, his daughter Sallie Leverett Johnson and her two sons opened a summer boarding house. Aunt Sallie s Farm operated from 1913-1958. It cost $5 a week for a room and three home-cooked meals. Guests enjoyed farm chores, square dances, homemade ice cream and rocking chairs on the porch. The Johnson Brothers, Vernon (1891-1978) and Leander (1895-1987), at the farm with their Model T. They willed their farmstead to area schoolchildren. Leander Johnson takes farm visitors on a wagon ride. The farm operated as a tourist retreat from 1913-1958. When their mother died in 1958, the Johnson brothers closed the boarding house. In their barn, they collected memorabilia and farm implements for future generations to understand farm life and our North Carolina mountain heritage. After forming friendships with area schoolchildren, they willed their farmstead to the Henderson County Public Schools. Today, the non-profit farm depends on public support. The farm is on the National Register of Historic Places and is a North Carolina cultural treasure. The 1880s house is the oldest brick home in Henderson County. Nationwide, only three public school systems own a historic farm. Today, schoolchildren and visitors enjoy a personal farm experience. The 1880s brick farmhouse was built by hand from 1874-1880. It is believed to be the oldest brick home in Henderson County.
Sign # 53 Blue Ridge Parkway National Park Service U.S. Department of the Interior An Ancient and Settled Landscape Today, members of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians continue to honor and cultivate the traditions which have guided their culture for thousands of years. The Qualla Boundary, as it has been known for generations, is a small fragment of the extensive historical homeland of the Cherokee. Left: Noted Cherokee basket maker Nancy Bradley, from a W.M. Cline postcard ca. 1937. Some claim that Nancy was one of only two basket weavers who kept the Cherokee double weave tradition alive. Image used with permission of Hunter Library Special Collections, Western Carolina University Many of the traditions of the Cherokee people influenced the development of a larger Southern Appalachian culture. From here visitors are offered a long-range view of the Ravensfork Valley of the Oconaluftee River. Right: Cherokee High School student Hannah Youngdeer learns the tradition of basket making using techniques handed down through generations. Photo courtesy of Revitalization of Traditional Cherokee Artisan Resources (RTCAR) and Hannah Youngdeer Archaeological and ethno historical evidence indicates a human presence in this area of nearly 12,000 years. In the Big Cove Community below, early members of the Eastern Band of the Cherokee Indians farmed next to immigrant settlers into the 1870s, when the area became part of the larger Qualla Boundary. In Cherokee, visitors have the chance to see traditional crafts in the making, hear the ancient stories, and learn about the history of this vibrant, resilient people with visits to the Museum of the Cherokee Indian, the Qualla Arts and Crafts Co-op, and the Oconaluftee Indian Village. Drawing by Thomas R. Whyte. Courtesy McClung Museum of Natural History and Culture, University of Tennessee, Knoxville Illustration of typical Cherokee village, Woodland period settlement, ca. A.D. 350. Villages such as these were located throughout the Southern Appalachian mountains.
Sign # 54 Judaculla Rock Petroglyphs The Judaculla Rock cultural and archaeological site is one of America s most significant historical places. Revered through the ages by the Cherokee, the site s rich cultural legacy makes this one of their most important ancestral places. The rock is carved with approximately 1,548 designs, more than any other known petroglyph boulder in the eastern United States. Petroglyphs are images and designs engraved within a rock s surface to symbolize important places, stories or events. Archaeologists believe intensive use of the site began over 3,000 years ago when the soapstone boulders were quarried for making bowls. Petroglyph carving began around 1,500 years ago and likely continued Mapped surface of the densely carved Judaculla Rock, covered with over 1,500 engravings. Archaeological excavations conducted in 2007 revealed that the earliest evidence of prehistoric use was buried beneath four feet of sediment. until European settlement disrupted Cherokee lifeways and traditions some 300 years ago. For nearly 100 years, the Parker family has been a good steward and protected the boulder on the farm from the vandalism that has defaced or destroyed many of North Carolina s petroglyph sites. In 1959, Milas Parker donated a one acre tract around the boulder to Jackson County. In 2011, grandson Jerry Parker placed 107 acres of the family farm into a permanent conservation easement that protects the broader cultural site and preserves the undeveloped mountain experience for generations to come. The Parker Family - Generous Caretakers: Milas Parker sits proudly in front of the Judaculla Rock circa 1930.