Wednesday, March 17, 2010

Holding to your roots...



The Walker Sisters Cabin lies in a clearing just up the trail from the little Greenbriar Schoolhouse that I posted last year. As yo look at the cabin...you can see the window on the right...that is the perspective from the first picture.

The Walker sisters were the last family to live in what is now the Great Smoky Mountain National Park. The Sisters have become a legend around those parts. The cabin was built in 1840 and then given to the sisters as inheritance. In the 1930's when the park became federal land...the sisters obtained a lifetime lease on their homestead and they lived there until the last sister died in the 1960's. They steadfastly clung to their roots and way of living...shunning all the conveniences that the "modern society" had to offer. This lasted well into their nineties...no electricity, running water or modern farm implements...they existed just as their father did when he settled the homestead.

Now when one visits the homestead...only accessible by footpath...you treat this land with a reverence ...knowing that for over a century...this was truly home to a loving family. After visiting I can certainly see why the Walker sisters did not want to let go of their heritage...a proud heritage of peace, nature and beauty tucked away in a small pocket of paradise...just up from the little Greenbriar Schoolhouse...where they attended grammar school.

Dan

12 comments:

Sunny said...

Love your fairytale photography so much!

DawnTreader said...

It's a lovely view to look at... But I have to confess myself a big fan of modern "conveniences" ;) - I would not want to live there!

myonlyphoto said...

Dan very beautiful images, especially the window one, and beautiful story. Funny thing is I probably would love to live like that, except of the electricity, camera and laptop, okay and access to internet - a must, lol. Thanks for sharing again, Anna :)

Dan Felstead said...

Thanks Sunny...I enjoy traveling to places like this for photography...one of these days I WILL get to New England!

Dan

Dan Felstead said...

AW...Come on Dawn Treader...where is your sense of adventure???? LOL....Actually there is a part of me that wants to live like that but when "Push comes to shove"...I think I would choose my present life! My son Zach once told me something very insightful...We were looking for a house in St. Louis when we moved there and Zach was about 7 years old. After a few days of looking and not finding what we wanted..he told me: "Dad...yo need a house in the the middle of oblivion with a hint of technology"! That just about sums me up!

Dan

Dan Felstead said...

Anna..I am laughing because I just responded to Dawn Treader before I red your comment and I think we share the same outlook on life! Refer to my comment above...

Dan

septembermom said...

I do feel like I jump back in time when I visit you Dan.

Sunny said...

Beautiful scenery, especially through the window.
Sunny :)
Uh oh...two Sunnys! LOL

J Cosmo Newbery said...

I'm sure I should be seeing pixies through that window!

Dan Felstead said...

Septembermom...that is because I am so damned old!

Dan

Dan Felstead said...

Sunny...when you visit there are always two Sunny's...the comment and the personality!

Dan

Dan Felstead said...

J...I had to have the pixies stand aside while I took the picture...they were everywhere and cluttering up the shot!

Dan