Origin Southern
Appalachian Mountains Early Mountain Life Modern Mountain Life Smoky Mountains Mountain Cooking Appalachian Dulcimer Mountain Speech Storyteller's Cabin
- Early Mountain Life
The original Appalachian settlers were largely Scotch-Irish immigrants who clawed their way through the lush and rugged hill country in the early 1700s. Clannish and fiercely independent folk, these settlers had rebelled against the restrictive laws of their homeland, and were in search of a place where their Protestant beliefs could flourish without interference. They were awed by the dense hardwood forests teaming with game, the fresh, sparkling rivers filled with fish, and the eerie mist creeping through the valleys that reminded them so much of the Scottish Highlands back home (this is how the "Smoky Mountains" got their name).
Deep within the cool hollows, the settlers staked their claims. The virgin forests provided plentiful building materials for their log cabins and furniture. They raised small crops of corn, potatoes and black-eyed peas, and fruit trees and gourds to make containers. The men were crack shots, hunting the woods day and night for "beasties" (animals) with the help of their loyal dogs, which they would proudly describe as "part hound, part cur" (or fierce breed of dog).
Inside the tiny, one room cabins, the women would dye clothes with berries
and bark gathered from the forest and cook dinner
on the huge stone fireplaces. In-between chores, they would knit quilts
on their looms, using elaborate patterns with unique names like"nine-patch,"
"double-wedding ring" and "dove-in-the-window." Corn shuckings, house raisings and log rollings were regular community events. But the most popular social events were the mountain dances, also called "play parties" since the church didn't approve of dancing. These parties were generally casual and easygoing. Fiddlers, sometimes accompanied by a banjo and dulcimer, would play alternately humorous and plaintive ballads that reminded the settlers of their homeland and lost relatives. Occasionally, the musicians would make up ballads about interesting community events. These "play parties" were some of the only fun times that these hard working settlers ever had.
Whenever their way of life was threatened, these settlers fought back fiercely. After long skirmishes with the Cherokees and the British army, some mountain communities found themselves at odds with the Confederate army. These self-reliant people had never had to rely on slaves for labor, and couldn't support the South's secession from the Union. As a result, some communities were regularly harassed by the Confederate army, who took prisoners, vandalized property and stole livestock. In some areas, children were placed along the mountain tops to warn of approaching Confederate troops.
Isolated from the Confederacy and the Federal government, which the mountain people later blamed for not coming to their aid during the Civil War, many mountain communities turned away from the outside world. Little immigration took place through the nineteenth century, leading to intermarriage within families. But the mountain people were always kind to wayward strangers. Their doors were always left open for strangers to "light and hitch" (visit) with the family, and a bed was always prepared.
Although the mountain people tamed small plots of land around their homes,
they were still surrounded by miles of mysterious, dense forest. They were
already a superstitious group - everyone knew that the moon affected planting
cycles, the tail of a hound dog attracted lightning and that an axe placed
under the bed of a birthing xmasgift would kill the pain. But as night fell
across the hills, the seemingly impenetrable forest would come alive with
spooky sounds and lights. Whatever these settlers heard or saw found their
way into the stories told around the fireplace at night. Although modern influences have had a dramatic impact on early mountain culture, some of the "old timey" ways can still be found in the hills today.
For more information on Appalachian Mountain history and culture, check out the following links:
Appalshop is a media arts center in Whitesburg, Kentucky that produces and presents work which celebrates the culture and voices the concerns of people living in the Appalachian Mountains.
The Foxfire books and magazines are still the definitive publications on Appalachian culture. Check out The Foxfire Fund Web site for more information on this very important organization.
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