Winter Heritage Festival Provides First-Hand Cultural Insight Into Appalachian Heritage, Feb 6-9, 2014

This February, the 2014 Winter Heritage Festival will offer attendees a first-hand look inside the cultural traditions, heritage and history of the Appalachian region. The festival will be held at various locations throughout Townsend and the Great Smoky Mountains National Park February 6-9, and most events require pre-registration to participate. (See the full schedule of events for costs and registration details.)

“This festival offers an intimate, insider’s look into Cades Cove and the surrounding area with songs, stories and accounts of the region and its heritage from the people that lived the history and who have expertise on a wide range of topics,” said Tami Vater, director of tourism for the Blount Partnership. “There are also events like hikes, candy-making and workshops in photography and dowsing that get attendees actively involved—it’s a lot of fun.”

The festival will kick-off on Thursday, February 6 with a reception at the Townsend Artisan Gallery. On February 7, events will include hikes to the Walker Sisters House and Elijah and Polly Oliver’s place in Cades Cove with a park ranger, a photography workshop presented by the Townsend Artisan Guild, and talks at the Great Smoky Mountains Heritage Center with Appalachian historians and local legends who will share first-hand experiences about living in Cades Cove, the area’s wildlife, and in-depth historic tales ranging from the Civil War to hunting in the mountains told through presentations, songs and stories.

On February 8, the Chocolate B’ar will offer a beginner’s candy making course where participants will learn the principles of tempering chocolate and truffle making, as well as old-fashioned window pane candy.  The day will continue at the Great Smoky Mountains Heritage Center with more local tales from historians about “The Meaning of Respect,” videos about the natural and cultural heritage of Southern Appalachia, the military history of the area and accounts of living in Cades Cove. Additionally, there will be demonstrations and lessons on the “Art of Dowsing,” as well as live bluegrass music performances at the Visitors Center in Townsend.

The festival will conclude on February 9, with an open homecoming reunion of former residents of Cades Cove hosted by the Cades Cove Preservation Association.

For more information about the events held during the Winter Heritage Festival or to register to attend a specific event, please see the full schedule of events atwww.SmokyMountains.orgor contact the Smoky Mountain Tourism Development Authority at (800) 525.6834.

Schedule of Events

2014 Winter Heritage Festival Schedule of Events

Thursday, February 6

4:30-6 p.m. Winter Heritage Festival Kickoff & Reception

Join us for the Winter Heritage Festival Kickoff & Reception at the Townsend Artisan Gallery located at 7843 East Lamar Alexander Parkway.  Refreshments provided by the Townsend Artisan Gallery and the Blount Partnership.

RSVP to attend: (865) 983.2241

Friday, February 7

HIKING:

9:50 a.m.    Hike the original back road to Walker Sisters House (4.5 hours, 4.5 miles)

Hike is limited to 24 people, and attendees must reserve a spot to participate.

Meet at Metcalf Picnic Area. Bring waterproof boots, water, lunch and snacks. Rain gear advised.

Register to Attend: Call Mark or Janet Snyder at (865) 448.1183 after 6 p.m. to RSVP.

PRESENTATIONS:

9 a.m.-3:30 p.m. Photography Workshop presented by Townsend Artisan Guild

                               (Photographers of all skill levels are welcome.)

The discussion begins with the use of a photographer’s levers to create interest in a specific subject, specific digital camera tools, and then applications of those functions on your own camera.  Continuing conversations include optimizing compositional elements to add impact and emotion to your photographs.  Participants have an opportunity to photograph ‘still life’ objects and to practice those techniques with the guidance of experienced photographers. The final wrap up is a review of images, critiquing their technical and emotional impact, along with a discussion of processing the images on your computer.

9:00 a.m. — Welcome, Introduction, Coffee and Muffins provided

9:15 a.m. — Using Photographic Levers to Create Interest in Your Subject

10:15 a.m. — Digital Tools Within Your Camera to Improve Your Photographs

11:15 a.m. — Optimizing Composition for Impact and Emotion

12:15 p.m. — Lunch and Photographing

 2:15 p.m. — Digitally Processing Images and Critiques

Bring you camera and your manual.  An opportunity to acquire a box lunch will be provided at noon.

Cost: Donations of $25 are requested to cover the Guild expenses for this event.

Register to Attend: Contact Susan Cooper at townsendartisanguild@gmail.com or (865) 448-0859.

Presentations at the Great Smoky Mountains Heritage Center

10-10:45 a.m.     Gene Lequire – “Children Then and Now”

Gene Lequire is a retired farmer, builder and cabinet maker who was born in Cades Cove and lived there until his family had to move out when it became part of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. He has often spoken to school groups telling the students how children lived and played in Cades Cove. He often demonstrates some of the homemade toys they would have used then. He lives with his wife, Jo, near Maryville.

11-11:45 a.m.     Earl Layhue – singer, songwriter

Earl Layhue was born in Uniontown, Pa., and lived in Sandusky, Ohio, until 2010 when he and his wife, Tammi, moved to Pigeon Forge, Tenn., to be near Cades Cove. They visited Cades Cove often and fell in love with the historic valley. After their first visit to the Cove, Earl wrote a song, “The People of Cades Cove,” which is the lead song on a new album he has recorded.

12-12:45 p.m.   Lynn Fox – “Walking in the Footsteps of Tennessee History with Gov. John Sevier”

For more than 27 years, Lynn Fox has kept the spirit of the  heroes of the Battle of Kings Mountain alive, reenacting their march from west of the Appalachians to Kings Mountain on the North Carolina-South Carolina border where they defeated British forces during the Revolutionary War. He is also a fan of former Gov. John Sevier of Tennessee, one of the early patriots of the era. He uses Sevier as well as Davy Crockett and Sam Houston is his presentation.

1-1:45 p.m.       Break for Lunch

2-2:45 p.m.  Dr. Aaron Astor – “Divided Loyalties in East Tenn. during the Civil War”

Dr. Aaron Astor is an associate professor of history at Maryville College and the author of numerous articles, conference papers and book chapters on the Civil War era on the Upper and Border South. He is the author of the recently released Rebels on the Border: Civil War, Emancipation and the Reconstruction of Kentucky and Missouri, 1860-1872, published by LSU press. He has also written about such topics as guerrilla warfare, battles and campaigns in the Western Theater and other topics about the Civil War. He is a graduate of Hamilton College in Clinton, N.Y., and Northwestern  University in Evanston, Ill.

3-3:45 p.m.   Randal Pierce – “The Hunting Tradition in the Great Smoky Mountains”

Randal Pierce is a native Tennessean who grew up in Upper East Tennessee. He is a professional educator and trainer and is an assistant professor in Human Resource Management at the University of Tennessee. He is a long time collector of early Americana, especially handmade firearms, their accessories and the tools used to build them. He is married with three children and two grandchildren. He and his wife enjoy camping, fishing and hiking and live in the Wildwood community of Blount County.

4-4:45 p.m.  Kim Delozier – Wildlife in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Kim Delozier is a retired Wildlife Biologist with the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. He grew up living and working on the family farm in Sevier County where he developed a love for the outdoors and animals. He received a Wildlife and Fisheries Science degree from the University of Tennessee and went to work for the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in 1978 as a wild boar hunter. He later served as the Park’s wildlife biologist and retired in 2010 after 32 years of service. His work primarily involved nuisance black bear management, wild boar control, whitetail deer management and small animal management. He also worked on re-introduction efforts for elk, river otters, peregrine falcons and red wolves. He now works for the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation. He recently co-authored a book, Bear in the Back Seat.

Saturday, February 8

HIKING:

1 p.m.    Hike to Elijah & Polly Oliver’s place in Cades Cove (1.5 hours, 1 mile)

Hike with a Cades Cove Park Ranger to learn about the family and see the only park historic site that has all the support buildings still there and available to see. Also, learn how the park’s historic preservation team maintains and repairs over 100 historic structures throughout the park, and how park partnerships with groups help to preserve the cultural history of the park.

Attendees must reserve a spot to participate. Meet at Abrams Falls parking lot (half way around Loop Road). Dress for the weather. Subject to cancellation for inclement weather.

Register to Attend: Email mike_maslona@nps.gov or (865) 448.4104.

DEMONSTRATIONS/CLASSES:

9:30-noon       Candy-Making Class

Come take part in a beginner candy making course at the Chocolate B’ar. We will discuss the principles of tempering chocolate and truffle making.  Participants will be able to make some truffles to take home (if they last that long) and also learn how to make old fashion window pane candy.

Cost: $15

Register to Participate: (865) 448-9433 or 865-448-9895.

10:30-11:30 a.m.

& 2-3 p.m.   “The Art of Dowsing: Do you have the gift?”

Join Charlie Monday at the Smoky Mountain Visitor’s Center (7906 E. Lamar Alexander Parkway, Townsend, TN 37882) to learn the history of dowsing, what to expect from their visit and his experiences using the rods for underground objects (water, graves, pipes, etc.).  We will demonstrate the dowsing rods and forked stick with each visitor is given a set of dowsing rods to try what they have learned.  The class continues outside, weather permitting, to locate water and a trip to the cemetery if they wish.

Class size is limited, and registration is required to participate.

Register to Participate: Contact Vicky at (865) 983.2241

12-2 p.m.

& 3-4 p.m. Live Bluegrass music will be performed at the Visitors Center in Townsend

PRESENTATIONS:

Presentations at the Great Smoky Mountains Heritage Center

10-10:45 a.m.     Betty Bales – “The Meaning of Respect”

Betty Bales is a native Tennessean who lives in Maryville and is a registered nurse at Blount Memorial Hospital. She will share how her great-grandmother Mary Jane Gregory Whitehead taught the meaning of respect to her children. Betty is the granddaughter of John and Lilly Cooper Whitehead, descendants of Cades Cove, and enjoys researching the history of her Smoky Mountain heritage, working with women’s ministries and serving in the mission field, both locally and in South America.

11-11:45 a.m.     Kate Marshall – “Sparks Lane – Then and Now”

Kate Marshall is a professional videographer. She and her husband, Al Harmon, own Kate Marshall Graphics Inc., which has won 13 international film awards for its films. Their company is focused on preservation of the natural heritage and the cultural heritage of the Southern Appalachians and the Southern States, with DVD documentary projects about black bears, mountain music, wildflowers, and whitetail deer. They are now working on a personal history of Cades Cove. Their work can be seen at www.CoveBear.com and on their Facebook page: CoveBear.

12- 12:45 p.m.  Break for Lunch

1-1:45 p.m.   Dorothy Sutton – Military veterans in Cades Cove and East Tennessee

Dorothy Gregory Sutton is a native of Cades Cove and currently lives in Blount County. She was born in Cades Cove but moved out at an early age when the Cove became part of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. She is a retired nurse who has researched military veterans from the Cades Cove area who were in all of the wars from the Civil War to present day. She focused some of her research on military service women.

2-2:45 p.m. Bernard Myers – The Myers Family of Cades Cove and his uncle, Sherman Myers

Bernard Myers was born in Cades Cove and lived there until he was nine years old when his family moved out of the Cove when it became part of the Great Smoky Mountains National. His parents were Golman and Viola Burchfield Myers. He attended the old Cable School for one year before it closed. He finished his education at Townsend High School. He has entertained groups with stories of the Cove, his family and especially his uncle, Sherman Myers.

3 p.m.   Panel discussion by former Cades Cove residents.

Sunday, Feb. 9

2-4 p.m.    Cades Cove Reunion

The Cades Cove Preservation Association will host a homecoming reunion of former residents of Cades Cove at the Big Valley Resort, 7056 E. Lamar Alexander Parkway in Townsend in the resort clubhouse. Light refreshments will be served.