Welcome to JOYFUL REFLECTIONS. Also welcome to MARCH!!!! My header picture this month is a photo I took of the pretty Crocus blooms in our yard... The Crocuses and Daffodils are the first signs of spring here in Tennessee. I am definitely ready for SPRING...

Tuesday, November 16, 2010

Cataloochee Valley, Continued

Please don't miss seeing any of my posts from Cataloochee Valley.   Click HERE  to see any or all six posts.   Above is the Palmer House.  George Palmer brought his family to Cataloochee Valley about 1848--after losing quite a bit of money due to some bad decisions and poor judgment.  Apparently George learned his lesson --since he and his family became one of the most prosperous families in Cataloochee.   George died in 1859,  the victim of a heart attack while cutting a fallen tree out of the road.

George's sons,  George Lafayette (called Uncle Fate in later years) and Jesse,   accumulated considerable wealth,  through hard work and good management.  Some of their market crops included corn,  wheat,  oats,  rye,  apples,  honey,  molasses, butter,  eggs,  pigs,  sheep,  cattle, tobacco,  potatoes and cordwood.

Both brothers were informed bankers,  lending money at interest and securing it with livestock and land.  They were also public-spirited,  each serving as land assessor,  justice of the peace,  election judge,  road trustee and church official.

The home pictured above belonged to Uncle Fate.  When he died in 1910,  his son Jarvis inherited the place.   Jarvis was an early entrepreneur in the tourism business.  His family owned land and controlled the fishing rights along almost three miles of Cataloochee Creek.  They stocked the stream and charged 50 cents a day to fish.





This is the Palmer's Barn.   The Palmers built a couple of bunkhouses next to the barn (which are no longer there) for the fishermen.  They charged 50 cents a day to stay in one of the bunkhouses,  an additional 50 cents for meals,  in addition to the 50 cents they paid to fish...  To accommodate the diners,  Palmer added a two-room kitchen and dining wing on to the south end of the house in about 1924.. (That is the white part of the house in the photo above this one.)  When the park was established,  the Palmers moved out and a ranger moved into their home.




This building behind the Palmer House was the blacksmith shop.





And this building (also behind the Palmer House) was the springhouse.   Other outbuildings which are no longer there were a canhouse and smokehouse.  (Anyone know what a 'canhouse' was????   I tried to google it--but got nowhere.)





My header at the top of the page is a picture of the Palmer Chapel.   Here is the same chapel from another angle.  Land for this Methodist Church was deeded by Mary Ann Palmer in 1898,  and the building went up in the same year.  Most of the preachers were 'circuit riders' ---who visited about one Sunday a month.  However,   Sunday School was held every week.






Here is the inside of the Palmer Chapel.  Services consisted of prayers,  singing and sermons.  Revivals held each Fall rekindled the spirits of the faithful,  and brought in new members.  Even today a reunion is held each year at the church.  Friends and families return to clean the cemeteries,  attend services and have dinner on the grounds.  (We did not see a cemetery.)





Finally,   here's one last picture of my very favorite thing that we saw in Cataloochee Valley.   The ELK were fabulous---and hearing them bugle was totally awesome.  IF you ever get to Cataloochee,  go in the Fall during rutting season --so that you can hear them bugle.  What a fabulous place!!!!

Hugs,

P.S.  Most of you know how much we have needed rain in our area.  WELL--yesterday,  we got a nice rain ---off and on ALL DAY... How special is that!! Praise God for the RAIN!

57 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hi Betsy, I have enjoyed the photos from your trip. This chapel is so sweet and I love the shot of the elk. So glad you enjoyed your visit!

Catherine said...

Hooray for the rain Betsy!!! You want some snow now??? I can send you some! :0)

Happy Tuesday!
xo Catherine

A Brit in Tennessee said...

Good morning Betsy, we have rain !
I hope you are getting your fair share up there on the Plateau.
I was thinking a 'can house' was where they kept the canned goods. Seems like the had one at the Hermitage next to the summer kitchen.
What a majestic barn, I can only imagine the space inside.
Quite the prosperous family it seems, to achieve that status in the rugged mountains, meant one thing....they were workers.
What a breathtakingly beautiful sight, that Elk, just wonderful.

Beth said...

Wonderful pictures from Cataloochee, Betsy. That elk is just amazing---what a rack! I enjoyed our recent trip there very much, though we spent much of our time hiking, so missed some of the houses.

I'm thinking that perhaps the canhouse is the outdoor spot where they did their canning of vegetables and fruits and such. Having just spent a weekend canning pears, I can testify to the extreme heat generated, which actually feels good this time of year, but is beastly in the summertime. So, having an outdoor place to can is helpful.

Darla said...

Still love these old buildings and the stories that we will never know....makes me wonder.

Susie said...

Enjoyed your pics much Betsy. Sorry, I don't know what a canhouse is either.

Harriet said...

We are also getting some wonderful rain. I think it rained all night.
It was sure one of those mornings with the rain coming down that you would love to sleep late.

Dorothy said...

Wonderful post, Betsy! Is that a bench up in the hay loft of the barn? I don't know about a can-house, but it might be where the milk cans were kept to be cool. Cataloochee is a very special place, indeed!

Fred Alton said...

What a beautiful place you have written about. I'd love to slip in and listen to the singing and preaching. ☺ And I am kinda with Dorothy on the can house being the place where the milk was stored in those five gallon milk cans we used to see. When I was a child in middle TN we had church members who milked 40 cows twice daily and stored milk in a "can house" which sat over a spring.

Arkansas Patti said...

It is raining right now for the first time in a long. All my plants are outside taking a drink and bath.
$1.50 a day for a vacation with meals---wow.
I always interests me how one family will generally rise to the top of a commmunity. Since we learn by our failures, it seems he learned well.

MadSnapper said...

first let me say the elk photo is Breathtaking! I am so glad you answered my first question on the first photo. the house i would like to live in, even now. as i stared at both houses I thought why would they build a second house so close to the other? maybe the ultimate mother in law cottage? is it connected by a breezeway? then i read the post. what great kitchen. I really enjoyed todays story and photos

pam said...

This was a great post! I love looking at and reading about old buildings!

Velvet Over Steel said...

WOW... I love all these post, Betsy! So much 'family & historic history' in both the pictures and the stories.

Georage sounds so much like my great-grand father! He lived to be 92 and I still remember his stories, although he was very modest. My dad's stories about him told of his 'character' & entrepreneurial spirit so well.

Thank you for sharing all your visits and experiences. Brings back so many memories and really makes you think about the history of our country and people with 'character'. :-) Love these post!!

Have a wonderful week, Betsy!!
Hugs,
Coreen

Anonymous said...

Check out the rack on that sucker! WoWoWeee!!! heheheee

You've captured some beautiful shots of this place & very informative, too! I'd love to see the elk in person & hear them bugle...

I added a link on my page to yours for the barns - I hope you don't mind - you don't have to do anything, but you may get a few more comments.
Thanks Betsy! You're so sweet! =)

Out on the prairie said...

A beautiful area and I love listening to the elk.Thanks for the great input on my blog, this charcter has been in a number of posts and continues.

KathyA said...

Thank you for the introduction to the Palmers and their homestead!

I Am Woody said...

My grandparents were dairy farmers and they had a building that they called the can house. It was where the milk cans were stored. :)

Beth said...

Just popped back in for a second, Betsy, I found this link for "canning house" but don't know if "canning house" and "can house" are two different things. Anyway, all that research was certainly interesting---who knew there was a "beer can house?" :-)

http://www.smokymountainnews.com/index.php/component/k2/item/1110-go-behind-the-scenes-of-historic-canning-house

Busy Bee Suz said...

Love that sweet chapel.
So, someone did a rain dance??? Yippee.

DeniseinVA said...

There are so many beautiful places around the world Betsy, and this is one of them. Fabulous post, so interesting. I loved the old buildings and their history of who lived there, with an exciting finale of that beautiful elk. I remember them bugling on a trip to Yellowstone a few years back. It is an incredible sound. Thank you for taking me to the Cataloochee Valley. I hope to see it myself one day.

Love Of Quilts said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Love Of Quilts said...

Betsy its just a joy to have you share your travels and all the great pictures you take....even if I never get to see these places my self I feel like I have. God Bless Trish

Joe Todd said...

A very nice little corner of history.. Tell me about Alaska. A bird mentioned you are planning a trip

Cicero Sings said...

Interesting historical post and pics. As for a cahouse .... Hmmm ... I could speculate but can't really help you.

It was what we call a coastal day yesterday. The clouds moved in and it rained all day. Unusual for the Cariboo. Sometimes that rain was mixed with very wet snow. This carried on overnight and the morning has dawned with yet more of the same. We need the moisture but if the temps drop -- ugly roads.

Diane said...

Beautiful buildings Betsy. I love the pic of the elk - gorgeous! Diane

Kim, USA said...

Wow thank you for sharing these photos it seems like I am also there. And reading your notes it does makes sense why they got more money they invest it wisely. About the "canhouse" do you think it's the house where they do their canning? Just guessing ^_^ Great weekdays ahead!
Old Barns

SouthernSass said...

What a great place to visit! I can't wait to go back and read your past posts. I am so happy I found your blog!

We are getting much needed rain today too. If we are lucky - we may see a few flurries in January or February.

D said...

Hi Betsy, such a nice history lesson... love it. I can almost sense being there in that charming old homestead

Kim@stuffcould.... said...

Again, I love these photos! I agree that the Elk is beautiful!
kim

Cheryl @ TFD said...

Hi Betsy, I have really enjoyed the picture tour of Cataloochee Valley. It's been a real treat...thank you so much for sharing!

Hugs,
Cheryl

Glenda said...

It is indeed a magnificent place! The little Palmer Church was my favorite spot in the midst of all that beauty! If those walls could talk!!

We got wonderful rain, too!! Yay!!

Thanks for commenting on my roses. They are few in number right now, but there are lots of buds. The rain was just what they needed. Now if the frosts hold off a little while!

Ginny Hartzler said...

When you say that friends and family return to attend services, does that mean it's a church in regular use? And it does look just pristine and so clean! So that white addition is a kitchen and dining area, I had been wondering, it's a bit unusual the way the buildings are placed. I never heard of a canhouse and just barely know what a springhouse is! Maybe a can house was a place like a pantry to keep all the food that was in jars that they had canned. Real pretty pictures!! I guess the family didn't mind moving out because they are rich, but wonder how they felt, if it was sentimental or what, and where they moved to.

Becca's Dirt said...

And thank you Jesus for the rain we got too. Great shot of the elk. I bet that was so neat. Well that's interesting about the preachers. I didn't know they traveled around at different churches. Have a blessed day Betsy.

nanny said...

We are getting rain today.....yippee
Don't know how long it will last but every little bit is appreciated.

Love your pictures.....so beautiful.

Unknown said...

G'day Betsy ~ What a lovely trip you have taken us on once again. I love the history, the buildings are marvelous & that elk is awesome. So enjoy travelling with you.

Have a beautiful & blessed Thanksgiving holiday.
TTFN ~ Hugs, Marydon

NCmountainwoman said...

I have really enjoyed these posts, Betsy. Life must have been really hard for the folks in the valley back then.

Brenda Kay Ledford said...

Betsy,
What a marvelous place. I love the photos of the barn, old houses, the church, everything. I would love to vist this marvelous place. It's just wonderful. It reminds me so much of my granddaddy's old barn and old homeplace. Super posting!!!

Pat Tillett said...

Great job! Thanks for the photo tour! Doing what you do best!
thanks...

Together We Save said...

Your pictures are wonderful and we are enjoying some much needed rain. As cold as it is you just might see some snow this evening!

Linda said...

Finally catching up on your posts....beautiful pictures as always!

Anonymous said...

Hi Betsy, I really enjoyed seeing the pictures today! I do like that picture of the interior of the church. Have a good rest of the evening tonight and a great Wednesday tomorrow. Glad for the rains!

Anonymous said...

What a great shot of the elk! You'll have to visit the Pennsylvania Wilds one day and see the elk in Benezette!

SquirrelQueen said...

This little valley has a really interesting history. It is always good to see homes and building like these preserved for all to see. I am very much enjoying the tour Betsy.

Glad to hear you finally got some rain. We had strong winds last night and rain is coming in tomorrow night. Snow is mentioned in the forecast for later this week. Looks like winter has arrived.

Hugs,
Judy

Anonymous said...

Thank you, Betsy, I just wanted to make sure it was legit. I'm reading more about it right now. My blog is an established blog, so I think I'll just pay the $5 instead of having to transfer everything over - doesn't seem worth the trouble when I could pay $5 & be done w/ it.

Thanks again, your help is much appreciated!!! =)

Neal said...

That is a neat place. I really enjoyed it.

You sure have Tricia fooled...She thinks you're so sweet. George and I know better. :)

JayLeigh said...

What wonderful pictures, and I really enjoyed reading about the history! :)

Connie said...

Interesting history today, Betsy. I love that little chapel. It looks so neat and clean. Great picture of the elk too. I've never seen one of those in person.

Ruth Hiebert said...

After spending a busy day with my granddaughter,these pictures are refreshing.I love those old buildings,and at the same time I'm happy to have all the conveniences of today.
Blessings,Ruth

Pat @ Mille Fiori Favoriti said...

It's been raining here all day too, Betsy.

I loved learning more about the history and early settlers of Cataloochee.

That Elk photo is magnificent!

The Retired One said...

My moose may get jealous, because after seeing that picture of that glorious elk, I think I have an elk crush!!!

Rose said...

great photos. i love old houses and buildings. sounds like this man was very sharp in making money. rose

floweringmama said...

Hey Betsy, what great pictures. That elk is something else!

penny said...

You beautiful photos and the Palmer family history were delightful to see and read.
But I have to say that my two favorite things are; the adorable chapel in the woods
and of course 'Mr Wonderful' the Elk.
He is magnificent, Betsy.

Hugs and blessings

Rose said...

I love that big barn! And I meant to tell you earlier, I love that header picture.

Mary said...

Great photos of all the buildings and the history is interesting.

Janie said...

The elk is gorgeous and majestic. I really enjoyed the photos and history of the Palmer House.

Lynn said...

Hi Betsy, Don't know if anyone even looks at comments from a long time ago, but just had to comment after looking at this post. So love the Fall pictures. The old building against the foliage. Love the country church. I did not know Elk was in NC. Hubby and I were Colorado during Elk mating season and heard them bugle for the first time! It is a sound you never forget, that's for sure. Awesome picture of the Elk too.