Date: June 12, 2009
Contact: Oconaluftee Visitor Center, (828) 497-1904
On Saturday, June 20, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., the century-old buildings at the Mountain Farm Museum in Great Smoky Mountains National Park will come alive as national park staff and volunteers pay tribute to rural women of the past through demonstrations of traditional women’s work.
"Women's Work" is a day of recognition of the many contributions of the region's rural women. As part of the celebration, demonstrations among the preserved buildings will include hearth cooking, cornshuck dolls, spinning, clothes washing, music, quilting and more. In addition, exhibits of artifacts and historic photographs will also provide a glimpse into the many and varied roles of rural women.
In 1953, the Mountain Farm Museum, previously known as the Pioneer Farmstead, was completed and opened to the public, creating a unique display of historic buildings and a living farm. The Mountain Farm Museum features a log home, barn, and several other outbuildings that were moved to the site from various locations in the Smoky Mountains. The farm includes livestock, from pigs to chickens, plus impressive row crops, such as corn and sorghum cane managed by Park staff and volunteers. The gardens and orchards are made up of heirloom varieties of apples, beans, tomatoes, squash, peppers and peas.
All activities are free to the public. The Mountain Farm Museum is located on Newfound Gap Road (U.S. Highway 441), 2 miles north of Cherokee, North Carolina. For additional information call the visitor center at 828/497-1904.
