Today, I will share some more from that beautiful valley. The picture above is the Caldwell House. Hiram Caldwell and his family lived for a long time in a log house near here before building this new home in 1903. The house was completed in 1906 and the interior paneling was imported from Waynesville, NC, about 25 miles away.
The shingled gables reflected the nationally popular Eastlake style of the day. Hiram's stylish home was comfortable, and its beauty enhanced by handmade furniture from Cosby, TN.
This was the Caldwell's barn. While the women in the Caldwell home did their household chores, the men and boys farmed and managed livestock on the high mountain pastures.
This is the creek which is next to the Caldwell Home. I loved seeing the leaves in the water --since they looked like gold coins....
Since I have so many blog friends who love barns, I have added one more picture of the Caldwell barn --from the side.... Neat, isn't it?
This is the Beech Grove School. This school, in the Big Cataloochee area, is the only one of three schools that remains. It was built in 1901 to replace an old log building.
School began at 8 a.m. and let out at 4 p.m. with two recesses and a lunch hour. Children usually ate in family groups, the older ones being in charge of the little ones. The lunch bucket was usually jammed with sweet potatoes, cornbread, beans, applesauce, biscuits, ham and a jar of milk. (Sounds like a pretty tasty lunch to me!)
This is the inside of one part of the school. There was another large room behind this one. That is Patti (Neal's wife) sitting in the desk..
Subject matter included reading, writing, spelling, arithmetic, geography and grammar. Friday was parents' day. They came in the afternoon to see what the children had accomplished that week. Spelling bees, recitations and singing were both a test and an outlet for the pupils' pride. School days ended in Cataloochie when the National Park came in, in the 1930's.
Finally, I was so excited to see the elk that I sorta ignored all of the wild turkeys that we saw that day. Here is a picture of some of the MANY turkeys we saw.
Tomorrow, I'll publish one more post from Cataloochee Valley.
Hugs,
P.S. My oldest granddaughter (in Texas) turns SEVENTEEN today..... Can it be???? Oh My Gosh--they've all grown up so fast. Happy Birthday, Sweetie Pie.
60 comments:
Hi Betsy, Happy Birthday to your granddaughter!
I love these photos today and the history of the school, house and barn. The leaves in the creek is my favorite picture.
Hope you have a good Monday.
What a wonderful trip you had! The backdrop of color from the trees is just so beautiful. Our color is all gone except for the green of the grasses.
I look at pictures like these and think - my how much better life was "back in the day" but then realize - everyone always thinks the grass is greener on the other side of the fence, don't they? When in fact - their lives were hard - just in many other ways. Wow!
Haven't been getting to all my favorite it blogs lately - I just finished my last dose of prednisone and am hoping all of these extra symptoms will now go away. The asthma is much better - but the cure causes so many other issues -
I will have to call for yet another different prescription today - as what they gave me on Friday has not helped one of the side issues at all.
Hope your day is wonderful!
Hello Betsy, what a lovley place and I enjoyed the tour. I love the barn and the pretty creek. Happy Birthday to your granddaughter.
Another great post about this great area. When I saw the school desks inside the building my mind transported me back to Campaign, TN to the 7th & 8th grades where our school room looked the spittin' image! Thanks for the good memories.
I even sat in desks like those -- ink wells and all -- when in grade 3 & 4. And I'm only 56.
Kids sure do seem to grow up fast in retrospect. Happy b/day to your grand daughter.
Lovely shots, Betsy.
Life was so much harder in those olden days but seem to us much more calmer.
Happy Birthday to your GDaughter. MB
Run turkeys, Run!!!!!! :D :D
Happy Birthday to your granddaughter.
Betsy...these photos are wonderful...I think you get the photography award today!!!
Wonderful shots per usual. That creek makes me want to go barefoot.
What cool lunches, they sure make todays fare in public schools sound awful and unhealthy.
That school house reminds me a bit of a school I attended where we had two grades in each room.Thanks for the trip.
Happpy Birthday to your granddaughter.
LOVE that wrap-around porch on the Caldwell House! The leaves in the stream do look like gold coins! Nice picture!
did you bring a turkey home for next week? I mean as a PET ha ha
love that old house and barn. that is the style my grandmothers, both of them lived in. one in FL and the other in GA. there are still quite a few of theses down here, the houses I mean and some of them are being refurbished and that makes me happy. you had such a wonderful trip
I can almost hear that babbling creek! I can see the men relaxing on the front porch after a huge Sunday dinner. And, I'd sure like to have a lunch like that in the little school house.
Thanks for the "trip".
Best,
Bonnie
these are such neat captures. it must be amazing to stroll around its beautiful surroundings. love the creek shot, very cool.
I love seeing these old houses and barns...a world far removed from what we know today...sigh
Great pictures, Betsy! One year I climbed up in the loft of that barn. That's a beautiful place. Love that valley!
Awe, simplier times in a beautiful area!
LOVE the picture of the turkeys in the field with the fall colors!
Have a fabulous day, Betsy!
What a beautiful place to visit. The turkeys in the yard looked like ours this morning, except we have snow!
Love the picture of the old house. It looks so beautiful with the fall colors around it.
I can do a mean turkey call!!
Now that is a house and farm I would love to live in! I would love to live the way they did back then. I was just born too late.LOL Love the photos and Happy Birthday to your wonderful granddaughter.
Your fall colors are still so pretty Betsy! I am afraid we are simply white... white white white... very sad. the wild turkey are fun!
Happy Birthday to your granddaughter!!
xo Catherine
Happy Birthday to your granddaughter!!
I love the old barn Betsy and we have many where we live but, of course, they're always on someone's property so I can't go in and look. I love the smell of them.
Lovely pictures and I love the creek, it looks a lot like the one that runs through our land. There's always something to good look at when you and George go on a trip!!
You do make a fantastic tour guide Betsy! What a lovely home - especially love the wrap-around porch! Wonder how many children were educated through the years in that one room school house - and how they lived their lives. - That church in your header - I keep wondering why the door isn't visible at the 'front of your photo', and there seems to be no beaten path to it. The door is probably underneath the steeple and facing the woods. That's interesting.
That barn must have been a showpiece in its day if it still looks so great after all these years.
That creek looks delightful - shallow and fun for the kids to play in.
Thanks again for a lovely visit!
The Caldwell House looks like it's being kept up very well, it is pretty. And I love the spooky old foggy barn. I can almost feel the dew on my skin with that one! It DOES look just like gold coins in the creek! And those turkeys are so colorful, they'd better gobble and start running now!! Happy Birthday to your granddaughter!! This may be my favorite post from that area!!
Oh, and Happy Birthday to your sweet seventeen granddaughter! What a blessing!
Visiting your blogs feels like visiting the places that you've been. Your pictures tell a lot.
A great bunch of photos! Love the turkeys. The house and barn and school are all very intersting. I can remember sitting in desks just like that!
This is a beautiful area...that little school house reminds me of "Little House on the Prairie"
Happy birthday to your G'daughter...I hope she has a fantastic day!!!
What a wonderful place to visit and learn about their family history.
It reminds me of an old family farm I use to visit with my Grandmother. I loved the barn but didn't like the out house at all.
be well, be happy ;)
Love the school house. It's amazing that it's still standing! Their lunch bucket sounds way better than what I send my kids for lunch!;)
Hi Betsy, thank you for the tour! I enjoyed the creek and the buildings and learning about the little school. Yes, the food in the lunch bucket sounds great! Happy Birthday to your granddaughter! :D
Nice pictures and brings back good memories. :)
Gosh, I never thought of you as the black sheep. More like our fearless leader who shows us that we CAN shape up from this chicken nonsence. Without you, we would be out of control. I think that God saw we needed some balance and were feeding each other's fears, so he sent you!! Our sensibilities can leave us altogether when we are overwhelmed, but you are the sensible guide!! And also pastor of the club, appointed by me!
Hi Betsy! I could just move right in that house in that beautiful country if they'd let me! Have I told you that I'm already talking to my hubby about taking a trip next year to see these beautiful sights for ourselves? I don't know how much luck I'll have, but I'm working on him!
Thanks for another interesting post. And Happy Birthday to your granddaughter!
Hugs,
Cheryl
The old school house photo brings back some memories. My mother attended a small school like that during the 1930s. She was raised on a farm in West Texas with her 7 brothers and 1 sister. She was the youngest.
Thanks for the memories :-)
~Ron
The old houses are so beautiful and charming.I would love to sit on that porch and just watch the world go by.
Blessings,Ruth
Happy Birthday to your grand-daughter Betsy! They grow up way too fast. My mother is on her 6th grandchild and her 6th great-grandchild.
I love the old buildings in Cataloochee but the Caldwell House is especially cool with its Sears & Roebuck catalogs adorning the walls for wallpaper.
Charming farmstead. We had a desk like the one in the school my grandmother rescued for us to play at. The ink well always offered some interest with friends.
As usual I love you photographs. I love the fall colors in them and really love the old buildings. Those wild turkeys better watch themselves. Don't they know what time of year it is? LOL.
Kay
Happy, Happy Birthday to your sweet Grandaughter. Wishing you a Blessed day...m...
I love seeing old farmsteads like this one, the house reminds me of one that one of my great aunts owned. I always loved playing on the wraparound porch as a small child.
Looking forward to more photos from the valley. Happy Birthday to your granddaughter!
Hugs,
Judy
Happy Birthday to your granddaughter Betsy. Yes they do grow up fast. Loved your latest photographs and also enjoyed the ones of the turkeys. I never get to see any wild ones. Have a great week.
Hello!Historical and very beautiful post!
Yes, I also remember all the wild turkeys that were not too shy! I love the symmetry of the barn.
School lunches were never that elaborate when I went to school! Good eats!
It's a beautiful area, love the creek and the golden "coins"
Whew, the turkeys!
I wouldn't mind that big house, only sitting on an acre in town, about had it with country living :-)
Simple and beautiful places Betsy. Your photos are gorgeous. Diane
Hi Betsy thanks for the history of that house and barn I love reading about old farms.
I do like Pat Summit,I went to her basketball camps when I was in school,she is a special lady and a very good coach. I watch her Lady Vols on TV some but usually follow the NC Tarheels with a little Duke Blue Devils mixed in. Can't say anything good about Duke's men's coach but that team always knows how to pull together to win games.
And you have to give him credit he can take a bunch of white boys (who can't jump) haha and win championships.
Okay enough already !
Hope you have a blessed tomorrow.
Marilyn
Happy birthday to your granddaughter, Betsy! Such a neat historic spot. Love the old school. Great pictures! :-)
Happy birthday to your grand daughter Betsy! How do they grow up so fast?
The photos of the one room school room are so nostalgic. I think I had the very same style desk when I was in high school!
It was fun to see so many turkeys running wild. Thye are the lucky ones!
Hugs, Pat
I love the wild turkey photos...they are so cool to see in the wild!!
can you grab one of those turkeys for me Betsy? ha,ha! Loved your trip photos - looks like so much fun!
Hugs,
Shelley
I cannot say enough how I love the photos! I love old barns too, really liked the creek pic! (all the pics)
kim
Betsy, I had problems trying to leave a comment. Not sure if the first went through. I said I enjoyed the history of those old buildings. Also, the school room brought back memories for me. I attended a one room school that taught more than one class about this size. However, I do not believe our desk looked this good.
That is a beautiful house in the first picture. I see it is raised off the ground. That would probably help it be cooler in the summer but in the winter, wouldn't it have been a lot colder? I guess that is why it was built raised though - - for the summer? I don't know if they said anything about that in the information.
Lovely little houses!
Please convey my best wishes to your grand daughter. My daughter just passed 6 months a few days ago. :)
Happy Birthday to your grandaughter Betsy!
What a grand house sitting right there in the middle of those mountains, I can only imagine the work it took, to get the building supplies to and fro.
Those barns are just gorgeous, I could live in the barn :)
It's surely a little piece of heaven on earth.
Very cool, Very cool, Betsy! Great pics & I love the barn!!!
Do you mind if I put a link on my page to yours?
1. Happy Birthday to your grand daughter!
2. I love that barn!
3. The area is still pristine. It could very well still be 1906!
4. LOOK AT THE WILD TURKEYS!!!
what great photos. i enjoyed the history. sounds like the children had healthy lunches compared to now. take care rose
I hope your granddaughter had a wonderful 17th birthday.
Interesting info on the Caldwell House. The old schoolhouse is fascinating, too.
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