Cades Cove, Great Smoky Mountains, TN (3-8-15)
Read MoreJohn Oliver Place (ca. 1820's)
John Oliver and his family moved to Cades Cove in the late-1810's and built this cabin when he acquired the property for himself. All framing, wall beams, and roofing 'shakes' were made completely by hand. The Oliver's descendants lived here right up until the park's establishment in 1934...
John Oliver Place (ca. 1820's)
John Oliver and his family moved to Cades Cove in the late-1810's and built this cabin when he acquired the property for himself. All framing, wall beams, and roofing 'shakes' were made completely by hand. The Oliver's descendants lived here right up until the park's establishment in 1934...
Primitive Baptist Church (ca. 1887)
This structure replaced a simpler log church which had stood here since 1827. The church closed its doors during the Civil War, explained by the following notice:
"We the Primitive Baptist Church in Blount County in Cades Cove , do show the public why we have not kept up our church meeting. It was on account of the Rebellion and we was Union people and the Rebels was too strong here in Cades Cove. Our preacher was obliged to leave sometimes, and thank God we once more can meet." Primitive Baptist Church (ca. 1887) - Interior
This structure replaced a simpler log church which had stood here since 1827. The church closed its doors during the Civil War, explained by the following notice:
"We the Primitive Baptist Church in Blount County in Cades Cove , do show the public why we have not kept up our church meeting. It was on account of the Rebellion and we was Union people and the Rebels was too strong here in Cades Cove. Our preacher was obliged to leave sometimes, and thank God we once more can meet." Primitive Baptist Church (ca. 1887)
This structure replaced a simpler log church which had stood here since 1827. The church closed its doors during the Civil War, explained by the following notice:
"We the Primitive Baptist Church in Blount County in Cades Cove , do show the public why we have not kept up our church meeting. It was on account of the Rebellion and we was Union people and the Rebels was too strong here in Cades Cove. Our preacher was obliged to leave sometimes, and thank God we once more can meet." Methodist Church (ca. 1902)
The Methodist Church in Cades Cove was established in the 1820's and met in a simple log building until this one was constructed for a cost of $115. The Civil War split this church, with Southern sympathizers building their own church across the valley (it no longer stands). On an interesting side note, this church has two front doors because it borrowed building plans from another church who had men and women sit on opposite sides. Despite not adhering to that custom, this congregation kept the design...
Methodist Church (ca. 1902) - Interior
The Methodist Church in Cades Cove was established in the 1820's and met in a simple log building until this one was constructed for a cost of $115. The Civil War split this church, with Southern sympathizers building their own church across the valley (it no longer stands)....
Missionary Baptist Church (ca. 1915)
As with the other three churches in Cades Cove, this isn't the first to stand on this location. The first was built in 1839 by a number of members of the nearby Primitive Baptist Church who were expelled for their strong missionary beliefs. The church closed its doors during the Civil War but soon reopened afterward, save without those members of the congregation who had supported the Southern cause...
Missionary Baptist Church (ca. 1915) - Interior
As with the other three churches in Cades Cove, this isn't the first to stand on this location. The first was built in 1839 by a number of members of the nearby Primitive Baptist Church who were expelled for their strong missionary beliefs. The church closed its doors during the Civil War but soon reopened afterward, save without those members of the congregation who had supported the Southern cause...
Elijah Oliver Place (ca. 1860's)
Upon his return to the Cove following the Civil War (Elijah was the son of Cove resident John Oliver whose home we stopped at earlier) Elijah and his family bought this property. The houses' hodge-podge construction shows how expansions were added as the family and its needs grew over the years...
Elijah Oliver Place (ca. 1860's)
Upon his return to the Cove following the Civil War (Elijah was the son of Cove resident John Oliver whose home we stopped at earlier) Elijah and his family bought this property. The houses' hodge-podge construction shows how expansions were added as the family and its needs grew over the years...
Elijah Oliver Place (ca. 1860's) - Kitchen
As with many larger southern homes this one had a separate kitchen building. The reasons for this are twofold, first it keeps the cooking heat away from the living area (primarily in the summer) and it also as fires then as today often start in the kitchen there was safety in keeping it separate...
Cable Mill Historic Area
Marking roughly the halfway point of our journey around Cades Cove is the Cable Mill Area. Here are modern bathrooms, picnic tables, a small visitor center, and a collection of buildings from other locations in the park to give visitors a look at what was going outside Cades Cove...
Gregg-Cable House (ca. 1879)
Originally located on nearby Forge Creek Road and moved to this site in the 1940's, this home was first owned by John Cable (who owned the nearby saw mill) to a Leason Gregg. Gregg lived in the home eight years before John's children, Dan and Rebecca Cable bought the house and operated a small store out of it. The home's most well-known resident, however, was Becky Cable. She lived in the home until her death, at age 90, in 1940. She was the last living resident of Cades Cove...
Gregg-Cable House (ca. 1879)
Originally located on nearby Forge Creek Road and moved to this site in the 1940's, this home was first owned by John Cable (who owned the nearby saw mill) to a Leason Gregg. Gregg lived in the home eight years before John's children, Dan and Rebecca Cable bought the house and operated a small store out of it. The home's most well-known resident, however, was Becky Cable. She lived in the home until her death, at age 90, in 1940. She was the last living resident of Cades Cove...
Cane Mill & Sorghum Furnace
Located just outside the front fence of the Cable-Gregg House are two small exhibits which don't get much attention. On the left is the Cane Mill, where sorghum cane stalks were crushed to release their juices which were then taken to the furnace, on the right, to be boiled down into molasses...
Cable Mill (ca. 1870)
The combination sawmill/gristmill built by John P. Cable still operates today utilizing the same millstones installed here over 100-years ago. It is somewhat unique in design in that the water wheel can power both the saw and millstones. The gristmill operation was quite profitable and remained so into the 20th Century. The design of the sawmill portion was not very efficient, however, and couldn't compete with more modern steam-powered mills which were in operation nearby...