Southern Landmarks

The Smoky Mountains

This page takes a while to load!  Time to get coffee!

If you are unable to see the applet above your browser does not support Java. However, you won't miss anything as the individual images appear below.

(I am unable to credit the photographers as they are unknown, should anyone recognize these photos, please let me know and I'll post the appropriate copyright information.)

I visited these places and many more on the weekend of February 5, 6, and 7, 1999. Prior to my visit the postcards above were sent to me as an enticement for me to make the trip! You know what they say about a picture being worth a thousand words? Well that was nothing to compare to what I saw while visiting!

Cherokee, North Carolina

The kids and I arrived in Bryson City, North Carolina late the evening of February 5. The next morning we began our trip into the mountains. We passed through Cherokee, NC and the first thing to catch my eye was this bridge. The architecture fascinated me.

After leaving he park, we headed into Cherokee, and of course the first landmark we came across is the Indian carving which stands before the Museum of the Cherokee Indian.

Oconaluftee Pioneer Farmstead

Our next stop along the way was Oconaluftee Pioneer Farmstead, now a living history museum. Every year, spring through fall, employees dress in period costume and perform the daily tasks of the mountain people, including everything from tending animals and planting crops, to making molasses from the sugar cane grown on the farm. As we walked around the farm, you could see the smokehouse, springhouse, chicken coop and the beehives made of old tree stumps.

The gravel path in front of the fence runs along a stream and leads back to the barn and pasture. The path was littered with smooth river stones, many of which my kids picked up! (I'm still trying to get them all out of the backseat of the car!)

As we passed the blacksmith shop, we saw something between the hewn log walls. We could not tell what it was at first. But as we drew closer Kitty here was kind enough to pose for us!

I had come so far just to see this barn! The barn houses several stables. Under the eaves of the barn you will find the equipment and many of the tools that were used on the farm, well-worn by time and use. The postcard I received prior to my visit just didn't do it justice! This is something you just have to see for yourself to appreciate. In front of the barn you can see what remains of the previous season's sugar cane crop.

As you enter the barn, you can see the stables to the right and left. If you look up to the rafters of the barn, you'll find tobacco bundled and curing. The barn still smells of dust and sweet feed. Even in the cold and rain there was something warm and inviting inside that barn.

We made our way back to the visitor's center stopping many times along the way. We checked out the area where they press the sugar cane and process the molasses. Then there was the hen house that required closer inspection! We walked back to the visitor's center in a light misty rain, through a clearing of hemlock trees. It was like being in another world and another time!

From Oconaluftee Pioneer Farmstead we began our trek through the mountains. Every twist and turn in the mountain roads brought something new to revel in! I love waterfalls, and there were many especially that time of the year as the snow begins to melt. As many waterfalls as there were, I still wanted to see more! This was the only double water fall we saw along the way. In this photo you can see the water trickling down on the right, but not on the left. You just have to trust me. . .it was there!

A little farther down the road, the river raced alongside the road. At the first place where I could pull over, this was the view!

Gatlinburg, Tennessee

Our next stop on our way to Cade's Cove was Gatlinburg, Tennessee. Gatlinburg is nestled in the midst of the mountains and reminded me of a small Bavarian town! It's my understanding that no trip to Gatlinburg is complete without a trip to one of the Candy shops. (Honestly, I really think that's why my kids were so excited to go--they live for fudge!) After finding a place to park, which is no easy feat there, we wandered into town. We made a trip to the Kandy Kitchen for goodies. We left armed with fudge, dark chocolate pecan bark and several other items! Jeni, however, just HAD to have a caramel apple!

These are my two little urchins. Now if you look closely at that apple. . . it was almost gone anyway. While walking back to the parking lot Jeni stopped to look over the bridge into the creek below and lost the rest of her apple. And down below in the creek a couple of wood ducks managed to find it! Unfortunately, this was the last shot of this roll of film and I missed the look of shock, surprise and horror when she lost her apple in the creek!

Cade's Cove, Tennessee

If there's a heaven on earth, I believe God created it in Cades Cove! This is was the first thing I saw after entering the park. The park has a one-way, one-lane road running through it. It's approximately 11 miles from beginning to end. It could be the longest 11 miles you ever travel. Around every bend in the road there is something new and different to see! Not long after I took these two shots some of the deer wandered from the woods into the fields.

Just around the corner from where this was taken was a little wide spot in the road. . . just enough to pull over on the side and have a picnic, which is just what we did.

Up the road and around another bend I found the Baptist Church. If you notice the entrances to the church there were two--one for men and one for women. A reminder that many years ago, the Baptist Churches separated men and women in their congregation. In the second view of the church, you can see part of the old graveyard behind the church on the hill. I recognized many of the family names as being the names of many prominent families in Georgia, South Carolina and Alabama. I was reminded of how my own family made their journey to the US and eventually settled throughout the southeast.

Just past another bend in the road, this was the view! If you look in the left one-third you'll see what look like little black dots--those are some of the deer that began wandering through the fields and pastures foraging for food. The kids kept a count of the deer they saw. By the time we reached the end of the park they had counted 63, and I understand that was a low number that often you will see more than that.

I have to warn you if you visit here, be prepared, this road twists and turns just as much as the mountain roads do! The next bend in the road I came to I found the Methodist church. Behind this church as well was a graveyard--typical of the times. However, one of the things I noticed is that both churches were built about the same time. However, the Methodist church was of significantly better construction. At the back of the sanctuary is a large bay window, which I was unable to photograph because of the drop-off behind the church. There was insufficient light inside the church at that time of day to film any details. I never work with a flash as it often distorts color, and I rely heavily on natural color when I paint.

There were several other shots taken, however, the developer lost the film. I guess that is as good an excuse as any to make another trip!

Purchase of Existing Works

All existing works are available for purchase at the prices quoted on this site. All original works are shipped via Federal Express or Airborne at the prevailing shipping rates which are subject to change. For purchase and shipping details contact the Artist at:

PinkMagnoliaGallery@hotmail.com

All works will be available here for viewing upon completion.

Please take a moment to sign the Guestbook, and if you have a homepage, please remember to include your URL!  

TOUR THE ARTIST'S GALLERY

You are visitor

[ Home ] [ Up ] [ Pink Magnolia Gallery Guestbook ] [ The Gallery ] [ About The Artist ] [ Celebrate Valentine's Day ] [ Happy St. Patrick's Day ] [ Happy Easter ]

[ Charleston Watercolors ] [ Gardens & Florals ] [ Low Country Seascapes ] [ Primitives ] [ Southern Landmarks ]

[ Up ] [ Cocoa Cay, Berry Islands, Bahamas ] [ Alabama ] [ Key West, Florida ] [ Mexican Riviera ] [ St. Simons Island, Georgia ] [ The Smokies, North Carolina ] [ Elizabethton, Tennessee ] [ Gatlinburg, Tennessee ]