On Saturday, June 16, from 10am – 4pm, the Mountain Farm Museum in Great Smoky Mountains National Park will come to life as national park staff and volunteers pay tribute to rural women of the past through demonstrations of traditional women’s work. This day recognizes the many contributions of the region’s rural women by providing an opportunity to experience the past and to actively take part in the traditions of the southern Appalachia through hands on activities.
As part of the celebration, demonstrations among the historic Mountain Home buildings will include hearth cooking, soap making, cornshuck crafts, sewing, and traditional mountain music. Exhibits of artifacts and historic photographs will also provide a glimpse into the many and varied roles of rural women. The Davis-Queen house will be open for visitors to walk through with an audio exhibit featuring the last child born in the house.
All event activities are free to the public. The Mountain Farm Museum is located on Newfound Gap Road (U.S. Highway 441) adjacent to the national park’s Oconaluftee Visitor Center, 2 miles north of Cherokee, North Carolina. Info: 497-1904.
– NPS
