I wanted to see the Vance birthplace and museum. I honestly didn't care about his politics (a governor and senator in NC before and during, and maybe after the Civil War. I just wanted to see the way families lived in early North Carolina.
Reems Creek is a nice long valley on the western slope of the Blue Ridge mountains...and can be reached from my home on the eastern side by going up to the Blue Ridge Parkway and then wiggling down the other side through the many twists and curves. I chose to go down through Asheville and up an interstate, which so generously had signs leading to the Vance Birthplace.
As an aside, the Vance Monument (a monolith) was removed from the center of Asheville just a few years ago, as part of the Black Lives Matter movement. Many Confederate monuments have been removed, and still are being changed (as a few military posts have just been renamed.)
And while I was enjoying that someone's app on their phone could identify it, my friend J. made it to check out the first window into the house!
There were only windows to look through to see inside, but very nice signboards with descriptions of some details.
The kitchen area was open to the roof...which may have helped cool it off on summer days when cooking still needed to be done.
All of these buildings were built with hand tools...unless there was a lumber mill that they carted some of the beams from, perhaps in Asheville.
This kitchen may have been an addition, but it has that huge fireplace, which shares the chimney with the fireplace in the main room, an excellent plan. I'll take you through the rest of the house tomorrow!
This hallway leads along side of the big chimney to the parlor.Today's quotes:
H.L. Mencken, ( 1880-1956) writer, editor, and critic wrote: "Puritanism: The haunting fear that someone, somewhere, may be happy."
also, "The basic fact about human existence is not that it is a tragedy, but that it is a bore. It is not so much a war as an endless standing in line. The objection to it is not that it is predominantly painful, but that it is lacking in sense."
Hello,
ReplyDeleteThe Black Snake is welcoming people to the museum. I like that big fireplace. Take care, enjoy your day and have a great new week.
Apparently that snake has been sighted often by the man who does the mowing, who makes sure it gets out of his way. Kind of the pet snake of the property apparently.
Delete...yesterday we were out taking pictures and stopped ar an antique shop. They had a coffee table book about Black Mountain College. Nice look back.
ReplyDeleteThat college was short lived, and not managed very efficiently apparently, but it certainly has left influences in education spheres still felt today, not to mention the artists and their works in the lineage of modern art development. Yet considering that, there's not much left around here besides the museum in Asheville.
DeleteNice tour, nicely documented, and nicely linked to Vicki’s book.
ReplyDeleteAs Susan also knows Vicki's latest book, I am sure she noted the Shelton Laurel letter and the crisis of the salt supplies on that signboard.
DeleteWhen I first saw the pic with the black snake I thought the snake was a work of art. It is rather beautiful. What a great tour you took there. I loved all the views. Truly wonderful, Barbara. Thank you for taking us along!
ReplyDeleteThere's more still to come, when I get it all downloaded this difficult way, sending the photos by email to myself.
DeleteThe Vance Birthplace is such a treasure for reminding us what life was like back then.
ReplyDeleteThat's why I wanted to go there. It's kept up very well. Of course I made a donation, but I'd bet our tax dollars are keeping it in such good shape.
DeleteAnd many thanks for the mention!
ReplyDeleteSure. Can't see Shelton Laurel or salt without thinking of you and your latest book!
DeleteA fascinating place.
ReplyDelete