If you ask a history buff what interests them about their heritage, most often they’ll tell you that they have a connection to it, a link to their own past which gives their own life more meaning. Reliving the past in some way reinforces a deep sense of values. If you ask Lucas Clawson of Hickory Ridge Homestead Living History Museum what he does, he’ll tell you, “We put a face on history, which makes it easier to convey why it matters. The steps from the past are what lead to what we have now.”
Located in Boone, Hickory Ridge Homestead is a part of the Southern Appalachian Historical Association, which also produces Horn in the West. The museum portrays the period immediately following the Revolutionary War through the early 1800s.
“We portray the transition period for our nation; the time between being a colony and becoming a nation,” said Clawson, who started with the Homestead as a volunteer interpreter and is now the museum’s director. The mountains of Appalachia were settled late and by a variety of people. “The land here was relatively cheap, partially because it was not good for agriculture, and the people who came here - the Scots-Irish, Germans, English and Free Blacks - couldn’t afford large tracts of land.”
The structures at the Homestead reflect the use of materials that were at hand and incredible workmanship. The Tatum Cabin dates back to circa 1785 and provides the basis for the beginning of the museum’s timeline. “It’s always amazing to the younger groups that come to visit that a family could live in one room,” Clawson said. “They always ask where the bedrooms are.” Interpreters deftly handle such inquiries by explaining that all of the rooms in their house are contained in that one room. Instead of walls, the “rooms” are separated by ideas and activities.
Other original structures include the weaving cabin, which dates to the 19th century, and the Coffey House, which was built around 1875. The remaining structures were built by Homestead volunteers using the same techniques employed by the 18th century settlers.
“The Coffey Cabin was one of the first examples of pre-fab housing,” explained Clawson. “If you look closely at the logs, you’ll see some Roman numerals. These numbers defined the reconstruction order for the logs.” The cabin was originally hewn and put together in Aho, a small community between Boone and Blowing Rock, by a local woodwright. It was then deconstructed and moved a short distance away for its owners Tom and Ellen Coffey. (You’ll have to ask about where the bear attacked the house when you visit).
On a tour through the Homestead, the costumed interpreters will often ask you to “help” out with the chores. You may find yourself chopping wood for the fire, hewing logs for another cabin, weaving or spinning, dipping candles, or perhaps learning to load and shoot a musket. The garden may need harvesting or hoeing, and you can help out there, too.
Overnight groups get an in-depth immersion into the late 1700s. “Scouts make up most of the overnight groups that we host at the Homestead. They get to chop wood for the fire, cook on the hearth, and tell and listen to stories by the firelight,” said Clawson. “During that time, we ask them to imagine what it was like for families to live without our modern conveniences and to have to do everything, including entertainment, themselves.”
The Homestead typically hosts three events each year - a traditional Fourth of July celebration, the Apple Festival, and Olde Christmas.
Based on an event that took place in Charleston, South Carolina, the Traditional Fourth of July Celebration features a toast to each of the colonies followed by a musket salute, a reading of a proclamation from North Carolina, and the burning of King George in effigy before the gathering is raided by British soldiers. Visitors are treated to “soft” cider to toast the United States and some are asked to represent a colony by reading its toast.
The Apple Festival is held on the last Saturday in October each year. Crafters from the local area and the region gather along with musicians to celebrate the apple harvest. Museum interpreters prepare applebutter in a large kettle over an open fire and ask passersby to help with the constant stirring. There are also contests - from hatchet throwing to apple pie eating - that are sure to add some excitement to the day.
Olde Christmas is celebrated on January 6th in the traditional manner. Interpreters and guests gather in the Tatum and Coffey cabins for the burning of the greens (a tradition thought to bring good luck), singing of hymns, and reading of the Christmas story from the gospel of Luke.
When asked to describe the time that is being depicted by the Homestead, Clawson replied, “Hard but not bad. These people were so excited about being in a new place, having their own land, that they were determined to make it.” A visit to the Hickory Ridge Homestead helps you realize that the face on history that they are striving for is both yours and mine. These people faced untold hardship to build their lives, homesteads, and country. Looking back, it is their pioneering spirit that moves us into new frontiers today.
Hours of Operation
Spring (First weekend of May through mid June) - Saturdays 9 a.m. until 4 p.m.; Sundays 1 p.m. until 4 p.m.
Summer (Mid June through mid August) - Tuesdays through Sundays 4 p.m. until 8 p.m.; closed on Monday
Fall (Mid August through last weekend in October) - Saturdays 9 a.m. until 4 p.m.; Sundays 1 p.m. until 4 p.m.
Winter (November through April) - By appointment only
The Homestead offers School Tours and a Live In Program (great for scouts and even corporate retreats). For more information contact
Lucas Clawson, Museum Director
Hickory Ridge Homestead
P.O. Box 295
Boone, NC 28607
828-264-2120
www.horninthewest.com
This article is the contribution of Sheri Moretz of Mast General Store. For more information on the Mast General Store go to www.mastgeneralstore.com.
