East Tennessee State University
Archives of Appalachia
Box 70295
Johnson City, TN 37614-0138
Request Information here.
Telephone: (423) 439-4338
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Title: |
The Sing Along With Appalachia Collection |
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Collection Number: |
Accession No. 65 |
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Physical Description: |
80 black and white negatives 73 black and white prints 1 exhibit brochure |
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Creator: |
Great Smoky Mountains National Park (GSMNP) |
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Repository: |
Archives of Appalachia, East Tennessee State University |
Provenance: The Sing Along With Appalachia Collection was transferred to the Archives of Appalachia from the B. Carroll Reece Museum in August 1979. The prints and negatives in the collection were part of a 1969-70 museum exhibit titled "Sing Along With Appalachia." The prints and negatives are copies made from negatives contained in the collections of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Gatlinburg, Tennessee.
Access Restriction: Duplication of prints for the purpose of publication or personal use is not permitted without the written permission of the archivist of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
Processing Information: Marie Tedesco completed processing, and the collection was opened for research in 1992.
The original negatives used to make the Sing Along With Appalachia (SAWA) copies belong to the collections of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park (GSMNP). Many of the photographs contained in SAWA originally were taken by Charles S. Grossman, Edouard E. Exline, and Laura Thornborough. Grossman (1900-72) worked for the National Park Service at the GSMNP for ten years, from 1933-1943. During that time he photographed over 1700 buildings and hundreds of views of mountain people. Exline (1905-60) went to the GSMNP in 1934 under the Civilian Conservation Corps program. A landscape architect by profession, Exline was an amateur photographer of great talent. He documented events for the park service and on his own searched for scenic subjects. With Philip Maxwell, he published Valhalla in the Smokies in 1938. Laura Thornborough, resident of the Smokies and author of The Great Smoky Mountains (1937), took some of the photographs in the SAWA Collection. Other photographs were taken by Maurice Sullivan and George Grant.
A number of the photographs contained in the collection have appeared in two works: Highland Homeland, The People of the Great Smokies (1978) by Wilma Dykeman and Jim Stokely; and Guns and Gunmaking Tools of Southern Appalachia, The Story of the Kentucky Rifle (1980) by John Rice Irwin. Others have been supplied by Scott O'Dell of the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D. C.
Originally the SAWA prints and negatives were catalogued into the Appalachian Photographic Archives (APA) but were not kept together as a collection. In addition, there were four 36" x 22" prints at the Center for Appalachian Studies and Services, and three 12" x 18" prints and six 36" x 22" prints on the walls in the archives' reading room. The APA prints were brought together in 1989. The collection was processed in 1992.
The prints and negatives in Sing Along With Appalachia depict various aspects of life in the Southern Mountains, with a particular focus on the area now occupied by the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. A significant number of the prints and negatives focus on mountain life in the 1930s. Among the topics covered are food preparation, soap-making, cooperage, plowing, making rifles, and leather tanning. Portraits of men, women, children and families, as well as pictures of cabins and mountain landscapes, are included in the collection.
Oversized Prints: There are four 36" x 22" prints at the Center for Appalachian Studies and Services. There are two 11" x 14" prints, four 12" x 18" prints and six 36" x 22" prints stored in an oversized box in the photographic storage area. The box is shelved according to accession number.
Organization: The collection is divided into two series: Series I, Negatives; and Series II, Prints and Exhibit Brochure. A Subject Index follows the List of Negatives and Prints.
Aged
Agriculture
Banjo
Coopers and cooperage
Corncob pipes
Cotton gins and ginning
Distilling, Illicit
Dulcimer
Education
Family
Farm buildings
Farm life
Fences
Fiddlers
Food--Preservation
Great Smoky Mountain National Park (N.C. and Tenn.)
Gunsmithing
Housing, Rural
Manners and customs
Music
Musical groups
Musical instruments
Plowing
Rural children
Rural women
Rural youth
Soap-making
Spinning
Tanning
Walker family
Watson, Willard
Wheelwrights
*Click on the link to go to that series or subseries in the List of Negatives and Prints.
This series consists of 80 4" x 5" black and white negatives and one 5" x 7" black and white negative of Appalachian landscapes, portraits and objects contained in the exhibit "Sing Along With Appalachia." Where known, the date of the original negative is noted, as are the initials of the photographer. (The following initials have been used: EEE-Edouard E. Exline; CSG-Charles S. Grossman; LT-Laura Thornborough; SOD Scott O'Dell; MS-Maurice Sullivan; GG-George Grant; and NPS-National Park Service.)
The negatives originally were assigned Appalachian Photographic Archives (APA) numbers and filed by number with the APA negatives. APA numbers have been retained, but distinctive Sing Along With Appalachia (SAWA) numbers also have been assigned to the negatives. The negatives are arranged consecutively according to APA and SAWA numbers.
This series consists of 73 black and white prints of various sizes. Prints that have negatives have been numbered to correspond with the negative number. Prints without negatives have been assigned numbers beginning with SAWA 82. Also included in the series is the brochure from the 1969-70 B. Carroll Reece Museum exhibit, "Sing Along With Appalachia." The prints are arranged consecutively according to APA and SAWA numbers. The brochure has been placed in Box 2.
*Click on the link to go that series or subseries in the Series Description.
All negatives are 4" x 5", except SAWA 69 (APA 151) which is 5" x 7".
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SAWA No.
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APA No.
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Description/Date |
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1
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83
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Woman making lye soap |
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2
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84
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Making sugar |
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3
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85
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Moonshine still in the woods |
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4
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86
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Cabin in the woods |
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5
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87
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Aunt Sophie Campbell and grandson Robert Ramsey of Gatlinburg. She made and sold clay pipes, 1931. (probably EEE) |
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6
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88
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Mary Ownby, Glades Community (Sevier County) turns a true cylindrical wooden rod on a spring pole turn lathe, 1930s. |
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7
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89
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Children at desks, Little Greenbrier Community, near Elkmont, Tennessee, 1930s. (EEE) |
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8
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90
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Willard Watson playing the banjo, ND. |
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9
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91
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Interior of a cabin, with old man sitting in rocking chair, ND. |
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10
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92
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Uncle Joe Quilliams plays "General Jackson's March" for his grandchildren on a fife his father made and played during the Civil War, 1930s. (LT) |
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11
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93
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Mollie McCarter Ogle rocks her daughter Mattie on the porch, 1930s. (LT) |
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12
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94
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Plowing with oxen in field in front of cabin, ND. |
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13
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95
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Herman Matthews and class in Little Greenbrier School, 1930s. (EEE) |
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14
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96
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Family in front of cabin, man with dead animal, ND. |
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15
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97
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Man and woman (man with banjo), ND. |
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16
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98
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Cabin with man at door, ND. |
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17
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99
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Family portrait, ND. |
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18
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100
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Miles Messer of Cove Creek works at his shaving horse on a stave for a barrel, 1930s. (EEE) |
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19
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101
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Man in front of cabin, ND. |
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20
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102
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Mill, ND. |
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21
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103
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Two houses back to back, ND. |
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22
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104
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Katie Duckett and daughter Tennie of Cooper's Creek making hard soap. Katie stirs the lard with a wooden paddle as Tennie fans the fire with a hawk wing before dipping into the kettle with a gourd scoop, 1930s. (MS) |
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23
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105
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Old woman sitting in front of house, ND. |
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24
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106
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Making sorghum, ND. |
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25
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107
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Old woman sitting in rocker on front porch, ND. |
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26
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108
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Two men with rifles, ND. |
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27
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109
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Woman and girl quilting, ND. |
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28
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110
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Man tanning leather, ND. |
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29
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111
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Woman engaged in woodworking, ND. |
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30
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112
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Man engaged in blacksmithing, ND. |
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31
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113
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Miles Messer, Cove Creek, dresses or curries a hide in the drying shed on his farm, 1930s. (probably SCG) |
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32
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114
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Side of a cabin, ND. |
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33
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115
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Cabin, ND. |
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34
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116
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Haystacks, Cades Cove, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, 1930s. (CSG) |
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35
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117
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Loading hay, ND. |
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36
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118
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Tom and Jerry Hearon and John Burns hew a log trough for the Jim Carr Mill on Newfound Gap Highway near Sugarlands (mill destroyed in flood in 1951), 1930s. (CSG) |
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37
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119
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Man with banjo, ND. |
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38
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120
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Corral, ND. |
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39
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121
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Cutting sugar cane, ND. |
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40
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122
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Landscape: trees and stream, ND. |
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41
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123
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Becky Oakley weaving yarn into cloth on a loom, ND. (MPS) |
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42
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124
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Wash day, 1930s. (CSG) |
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43
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125
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Miles Messer of Cove Creek shapes a small metal piece, 1930s. (EEE) |
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44
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126
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Storage of food: pie safe, 1930s. (EEE) |
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45
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127
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Two women in dresses and bonnets hoeing, ND. |
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46
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128
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Matt Ownby, Glades Community, Sevier County, dresses out a rifle barrel with a dressing stick, and Charles McCarter files a lock mechanism, 1930s. (NPS) |
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47
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129
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Corn cribs and cabin, ND. |
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48
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130
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Man and boy driving horse-drawn wagon, ND. |
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49
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131
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Old man in tobacco field, ND. |
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50
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132
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Woman at spinning wheel, 1930s. (NPS) |
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51
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133
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Single haystack in small corral. |
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52
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134
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Man with hides, ND. |
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53
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135
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Men butchering a hog, ND. |
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54
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136
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Water mill, ND. |
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55
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137
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Two men splitting logs to make a fence, ND. |
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56
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138
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Man building a flat bed for a sled, 1930s. (NPS) |
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57
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139
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One of the Walker sisters churning butter, Little Greenbrier Community, near Elkmont, Tennessee, 1930s. (probably EEG) |
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58
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140
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Man with fiddle and bow, ND. |
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59
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141
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Children in cabin doorway, ND. |
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60
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142
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Woman in bonnet, with hoe, ND. |
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61
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143
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Wiley Gibson of Walden's section near Sevierville, in his
gun and blacksmith shop, ca 1937. (CSG) [This photo of Gibson also appears in Exline's book Valhalla in the Smokies. The photos in this book were Exline's (unless otherwise noted. There's no credit given to Grossman). The Grossman reference is from Irwin's book, Guns and Gunmaking Tools of Southern Appalachia.] |
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62
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144
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Uncle Ike Bradley chisels a turbine for a mill, 1930s. (CSG) |
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63
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145
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"Turkey George" Palmer of Pretty Hollow Creek in Cataloochee, 1930s. (EEE) |
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64
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146
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Child drawing water in bucket from well under cabin porch, ND. |
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65
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147
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Three young men standing in front of a quilt which is tacked onto a wall, ND. |
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66
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148
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Daniel H. Myers, Jr. of Cades Cove, ND. (probably CSG) |
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67
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149
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Two men with walking canes, ND. |
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68
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150
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Hattie, Martha and Louisa Walker, Little Greenbrier Community, run cotton through a gin built by their father, John, 1930s. (EEE) |
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69
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151
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Appalachian mountain farm, ND. |
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70
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428
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Aunt Celia Ownby cards, or straightens, wool fibers that already have been washed, 1930s. (CSG) |
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71
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429
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Woman at spinning wheel, ND. |
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72
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430
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One of the Walker sisters, Little Greenbrier Community, 1930s. (probably EEE) |
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73
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432
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Two men splitting logs, ND. |
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74
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434
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Civilian Conservation Corps members posing at still found in the Smokies, 1930s. (EEE) |
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75
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438
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Making molasses, ND. |
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76
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442
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Mountain cabin, ND. |
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77
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443
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Mountain cabins, ND. |
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78
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444
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Miles Messer, Cove Creek, scrubbing the pelt side of a hide with a scythe, 1930s. (EEE) |
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79
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446
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Mountain woman, ND. |
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80
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447
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Old man playing banjo, ND. |
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81
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448
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Man stripping corn cobs to make corn cob pipes, ND. |
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Series II
PRINTS AND EXHIBIT BROCHURE, 1930s, 1969-70.
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| Box 1 (cont.): | ||
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SAWA No.
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APA No.
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Description/Date |
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3- 8
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85- 90
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See Series I, Negatives, for descriptions and dates of these prints. |
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10-18
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92-100
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21-22
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103-104
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34
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116
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45
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127
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57-58
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139-140
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60-66
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142-148
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68-69
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150,151
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70-74
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428-434
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76-81
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442-448
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82
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Kyle Creed and the Camp Creek Boys at the Galax Old Time Fiddlers Convention. Creed (center) is playing a banjo he made in his country shop, ND. (SOD, Smithsonian Institution) | |
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83
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Clark Kessinger, old-time fiddler at the Galax Old-Time Fiddlers Convention, ND. (SOD, Smithsonian Institution) | |
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84
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Woman playing fiddle; boy playing mandolin; man (partially cropped out of photo) playing guitar, ND. | |
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85
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Rural man and woman eating dinner, ND. | |
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86
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Young boy combing hair in cabin bedroom, the walls of which are lined with newspapers, ND. | |
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87
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Boy playing fiddle; man playing fiddle, ND. | |
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88
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Two men sitting on curb playing guitars; third man watching, ND. | |
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89
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A four-stringed dulcimer from Surry County, North Carolina, (SOD. Smithsonian Institution), ND. | |
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92
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Church and Schoolhouse; Little Greenbrier, Tennessee, March 2, 1936. (EEE) | |
| Oversize and 8" x 10" Prints | ||
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Box 2:
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3
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85
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See Series I, Negatives, for descriptions and dates of these prints. (12" x 17") |
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11
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93
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Two men at Still in woods. |
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94
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Wiley Gibson, Sevier County, Tennessee, in his
blacksmith shop, 1937 (CSG). *See Irwin, Guns and Gun-Making Tools, p. 24. |
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17
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99
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See Series I, Negatives, for descriptions and dates of these prints. (36" x 22") |
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22
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104
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(12" x 17") |
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45
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127
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|
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58
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140
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|
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60
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142
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(36" x 22") |
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62
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144
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(36" x 22") |
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64
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146
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(36" x 22") |
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66
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147
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(36" x 22") |
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90
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Split rail fence on mountainside, ND. (36" x 22") | |
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91
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Loading tan bark (extract) onto railroad car, ND. (15" x 19") | |
*Number cited is the SAWA#; reference is to negatives. A "p" after
the number indicates there is no negative, but only a print.
Check Series II, Prints, to see if negatives listed in the index are accompanied
by a print.
Blacksmithing: 30; 61.
Bradley, "Uncle Ike": 62.
Cades Cove: 34; 66.
Campbell, Aunt Sophie: 5.
Carding wool: 70.Children of the Smoky Mountains: 5; 7; 10; 13; 59; 64; 86(p); 87(p).
Cooper's Creek: 22.
Cooperage; 18.
Cove Creek, Tennessee: 18; 31; 43; 78.
Creed, Kyle and the Camp Creek Boys: 82(p).Cutting sugar cane: 39.
Duckett, Katie: 22.
Dulcimers: 89(p).
Family Life and portraits (of Smoky Mountain families): 14; 17, 65; 85(p).
Farms and farming: 12; 45; 60; 69.Food preparation and storage: 2; 24, 44; 47; 75.
Galax Old-Time Fiddlers Convention: 82-83(p).
Gatlinburg, Tennessee: 5.
Gibson, Wiley: 61.
Glades Community, Sevier County, Tennessee; 6; 46.Haystacks: 34; 51.
Little Greenbrier Community (near Elkmont, Tennessee): 7; 13; 57; 68; 72.
Little Greenbrier School: 7; 13.
Log Troughs: 36.
McCarter, Mollie; 11.Men of the Smoky Mountains; 10; 18-19; 26; 31; 43; 49; 58; 66-67; 78; 80.
Messer Miles: 18; 31; 43; 78.
Mills: 20; 54.
Molasses-making: 24; 75.
Moonshine stills: 3; 74.Mountain cabins-exteriors: 4; 14; 16; 21; 32-33; 76-77.
Mountain cabins-interiors: 9; 86(p).
Myers, Daniel H., Jr.: 66.
Old Time music-musicians: 8; 15; 37; 58; 80; 82-84(p); 88(p).
Ownby, Celia: 70.Palmer, "Turkey George": 63.
Pipes (clay and corn cob): 5; 81.
Quilliams, Joe: 10.
Quilting: 27.
Rifle-making: 46.Soap-making: 1; 22.
Tanning leather: 28; 31; 52.
Walker Sisters (of Little Greenbrier Community): 57; 68; 72.
Watson, Willard: 8.
Weaving yarn: 41; 50; 71.Women of the Smoky Mountains: 5-6; 11; 22-23; 25; 27; 29; 41; 45; 50.
Woodworking: 29.
MTC 07/01 - modified GKY 03/11/02