76 • THE GRIFFON • Fall 2013
TRAVEL USA
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Scott County, Va. for music lovers and history buffs As the home of A.P. and Sara Carter and Mother Maybelle, Scott County is the true “birthplace” of country music. It was through the local hills and hollows that A.P. roamed collecting his songs, such as the “Hello Stranger,”“My Clinch Mountain Home,”“Keep on the Sunny Side,” and the well-known “Will the Circle be Unbroken.” Janette Carter, one of A.P. and Sara’s three children, established the Carter Family Fold in 1974 to preserve her parent’s legacy. Janette, and brother, Joe, have since passed, but the legacy continues with a third generation of Carters. The Fold holds performances every Saturday night, and these performances highlight the musical style made popular by the Carter family. In keeping with tradition, no electrical instruments are allowed. In addition to the fold, you can find A.P. and Sara’s original log cabin, plus a well-stocked store and museum of the Carter’s famous recordings.The Carter Fold is an international tourist attraction on the Crooked Road music trail. Scott County definitely has its
Carter family original log cabin.
own sound track, and you can find informal jams every week. Popular pickin’ sites include the Pickin’
Explore Scott County, Virginia…
• Walk in the footsteps of famed frontiersman Daniel Boone. • Visit the homestead of A.P. and Sara Carter, pioneers of traditional country bluegrass. • Float the scenic Clinch River, home to the largest variety of freshwater mussels in the world. • Take a dip in the Devil’s bathtub. • Tour the Crooked Road Music Trail. • Spend the night in a mountain cabin.
You can do all of this and much more in
Scott County, Virginia!
Contact the Scott County Tourism office at 276-386-6521 or explorescottcountyva.com
Parlor in Weber City, where pickers can be found jamming most every day of the week. Every Friday night, locals crowd into Allen Hicks Friday Night Jam Session to either pick or hear traditional mountain music. Other jams are held throughout the county at the historic Dungannon Depot,Thomas Village in Duffield, and the Boozy Creek Community Center. Be sure to bring your dancing shoes when you come to Scott County, Virginia.
Rich History in Scott County Scott County’s rich history spans more than 8,000 years. Visitors can follow in the footsteps of famed frontiersman Daniel Boone or see railroad history both at Fannon Railroad Museum and Natural Tunnel State Park, recently named one of the “Top 20 Tunnels in the World” by The Weather Channel. Native American Indians lived and hunted in Scott County for thousands of years. A number of village sites and artifacts have been
John Anderson Blockhouse
found throughout the county. One in particular, the Flanary Archeological Site, is currently under re-construction. There is so much history to explore in Scott County that you may need much than a week.The Daniel Boone Wilderness Trail Association replicated the John Anderson Blockhouse at Natural Tunnel State Park.The original blockhouse was used as a gathering point for “frontier guns” as pioneers made their way westward along the Daniel Boone Wilderness Trail. Close to the Blockhouse is the Fincastle Loop, part of the Fincastle Turnpike, another historical travel route. Additional historical stops include Bush Mill, one of the last remaining “overshot water-powered flour and grist mills” in the United States.The Mill has a long history and, thanks to local historians, has been rehabilitated and will soon be an operational mill open to visitors. The historic Kilgore Fort House See SCOTT COUNTY page 78