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All the United States North Carolina Cherokee Mountain Farm Museum

Mountain Farm Museum

Step back in time on this preserved 1800s farm.

Cherokee, North Carolina

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Inside John Davis’ home.   jusTodd / Atlas Obscura User
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Mountain Farm Museum signage.   jusTodd / Atlas Obscura User
John Davis’ home.   jusTodd / Atlas Obscura User
Organ in John Davis’ home.   jusTodd / Atlas Obscura User
Barn at Mountain Farm Museum.   jusTodd / Atlas Obscura User
The Mountain Farm Museum viewed from a distance.   Brian Stansberry/CC BY 2.5
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On the North Carolina side of Great Smoky Mountains National Park a thriving 1800s farm frozen in time.

Walk down a dirt path to the farm, which was originally constructed during the 19th century throughout various locations in the Smoky Mountains. Most of the structures relocated to the site during the 1950s.

Each of the buildings has its own story, and relevance to the overall theme of the site. A rustic home, built by John Davis along Indian Creek around 1900, uses expertly matched chestnut logs joined with dovetail notches. The chicken house, apple house, meat house, and the springhouse (used for refrigeration) were all relocated from various mountain farms. The blacksmith shop moved in from Cades Cove, and two corncribs from Thomas Divide. The barn is the only structure originally located on the site; even then, it moved about 180 meters from the 1880 original construction site. It features nearly 16,000 hand-split shingles. There are numerous other farm buildings , such as a hog pen, sorghum press and still for extracting molasses, an ash hopper used to extract lye for soap, and a woodshed.

Visitors are welcome to wander through the farm and imagine what life was like to farm the area in the 1800s, but thankfully can return to their cars and the 21st century when day is done.

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Farms Museums National Parks 19th Century

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jusTodd

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Molly McBride Jacobson, breaingram, shylilturtle

  • Molly McBride Jacobson
  • breaingram
  • shylilturtle

Published

May 16, 2016

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Mountain Farm Museum
Oconaluftee River Trail
Cherokee, North Carolina
United States
35.513068, -83.306126
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Nearby Places

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Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Cherokee

Cherokee

North Carolina

Places 3

Nearby Places

Bat Creek Stone

Cherokee, North Carolina

miles away

Unto These Hills Cherokee Theatre

Cherokee, North Carolina

miles away

Barkers Creek Swinging Bridge

Whittier, North Carolina

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Cherokee

Cherokee

North Carolina

Places 3

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