ORCVB Newsroom --> Press Release
The Museum of AppalachiaPreserving Our Region’s Heritage and Culture
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Norris, TN: The sheer beauty of Anderson County, the mountains, the picturesque valleys, the quaint hollows, and especially the warm and colorful people of this and the surrounding area all inspired John Rice Irwin; and this inspiration led him to begin collecting and preserving small bits of that culture. In the process, he created an authentic Appalachian village, a unique monument to the mountain lifestyle, and he has become something of a legend himself.
Irwin’s 65-acre Museum of Appalachia near Norris contains a collection of more than 35 authentic log cabins and buildings, including the Tennessee home of Mark Twain’s family and the primitive one-room Arnwine Cabin built around 1800 which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
“It’s easy enough to bring in an old log cabin, set it up and get everything right from a structural standpoint,” Irwin says. “It’s much more difficult to get every item just the way it should be. It is such things as the handmade corner cupboard and the little items on the shelves that really represent the culture of the people in this area.”
Irwin’s almost fanatical attention to detail and authenticity gives the Museum of Appalachia its unique charm and character. “No one would ever hire me to do a restoration,” he laughs. “I’d break them up by looking for authentic things.”
Irwin’s obsession with detail is reflected everywhere. Cords of firewood are stacked neatly within handy reach of the cabins. A half-finished wagon wheel waits for the wheelwright to return to his shop. The one-room school needs only a teacher to ring the brass bell and a few children to bring it to life.
Gardens are planted with corn, squash, beans, and tomatoes surrounded by split-rail fences. Cattle, mules, sheep, and goats graze in the pastures near a huge cantilever barn. Chickens peck busily around backdoor herb gardens. Roosters crow and peacocks scream for attention.
It seems as if the 19th century residents of this tiny mountain community had all just stepped into the woods for a minute. It is a remarkable illusion, and one John Rice Irwin cherishes. “People see the plates of dried beans and peppers on the tables, the churns and kitchen utensils all ready to be used, and they come and ask, ‘Does somebody still live here?’ That is the nicest compliment I can receive.”
Irwin has been building his unique museum for more than 25 years, and he frankly admits that it is the result of a hobby which got out of control and took over his life. “The truth is that I never had any idea of establishing a museum,” he explains. “My four grandparents gave me my original appreciation for the mountain way of life.
“The collection started in 1962 when I went to an auction at the old Miller homestead on the Clinch River just below Norris Dam. Somebody was bidding on an old cedar churn, and I heard them say they wanted to make a lamp out of it. Somebody else wanted an old wagon seat to make into a table.
“I thought, ‘How terrible! These things are part of our heritage and culture.’ I started making trips into the mountains, buying almost anything I could. Eventually, I got the old General Bunch Cabin, rebuilt it, and furnished it in meticulous detail just the way it should be. I bought a second cabin, and a third.”
The artifacts Irwin has collected over the years now number well over a quarter million. Thousands of them are housed in a huge display barn where visitors are free to wander, explore, and read the notes and stories Irwin has collected along with them.
Irwin’s notes are another priceless treasure of the Museum of Appalachia. “These old relics really don’t mean very much unless you know the histories that go with them,” Irwin insists. “This old meal barrel, for example, becomes much more significant if you know that it once belonged to John Sallings, arguably the last veteran of the Civil War.”
One interesting aspect of the Museum that Irwin often observes is that people from outside the region seem to display as much or maybe more interest in the rich and colorful history, culture, and heritage as local folk do. The fact that the Museum receives constant national (and even international) coverage by newspapers, television, radio, and magazines, and the fact that hundreds of thousands of people come from throughout the world to tour the Museum and study the culture it portrays, seem to substantiate Irwin’s contention.
One of the most expansive features of the Museum is the Appalachian Hall of Fame, a beautiful three-story brick building dedicated to the men, women, and children of Appalachia. The building contains an extensive Indian collection, hundreds of early, handmade, and unusual musical instruments, and dozens of other exhibits.
The newest building on the grounds is The People’s Building, with the opening exhibit being on the fabulous H. Harrison Mayes, the coal miner who waged a one-man crusade for God on the roadsides of America. The first floor also houses an extensive exhibit based on the book Christy, by Catherine Marshall, and the television movie and series by the same name. Many items from the actual TV production are on display.
The Museum of Appalachia’s Annual Tennessee Fall Homecoming, which is held the 2nd full weekend of October, has become an event which draws thousands of visitors from around the world. The Homecoming features several hundred old-time musicians and mountain craftsmen. Additional events held at the Museum of Appalachia include: The July 4th Celebration and Anvil Shoot and Christmas in Old Appalachia.
The Museum of Appalachia is located 16 miles north of Knoxville, one mile off I-75 exit 122 at Norris, Tennessee. The Museum is open during daylight hours the year around (except closed on Christmas Day).
Free brochures and further information may be obtained by phone at 865-494-7680 or e-mail at museumappalachia@bellsouth.net. For additional information about the Museum and any other upcoming events, the website is www.museumofappalachia.com.
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