Hidden Magnolias

Over the 4th weekend, we had just a little vacation. But for someone interested in Family History, adding some genealogy into the mix makes the perfect vacation. First stop, Cross Creek Cemetery to see the grave of my 5th great grandfather, Lewis Barge. He owned a tavern called Barge's Tavern and he and several of his buddies would meet there to " discuss the British problem ." Out of that came the Liberty Point Resolves. A fore runner to the Declaration of Independence. Barge's Tavern Lewis Barge - Cross Creek Cemetery Closer with DAR marker Can barely read, but inscription is still there Monument to the signers of the Liberty Point Resolves Me checking out my ancestor's signature on facimile document From the website : The Liberty Point Resolves, formally called the Cumberland Association, was a document signed by 55 Cumberland County patriots on June 20, 1775 in Fayetteville, N.C. The men had formed themse...

Face jugs. What is a face jug? Well, simply put, it is a jug with a face on it. Lanier Meadors One theory suggests that these early face jugs were used as grave markers by slaves. These jugs were supposed to ward off evil spirits. A South Carolina potter, who can trace his ancestors to slavery, states that "the idea was that the face jug would be ugly enough to scare the devil away from your grave so your soul could go to heaven." I n the 1820's the practice of making face jugs spread throughout South Carolina and into Georgia, North Carolina and other states. In the 1830's about seventy folk potters operated pottery shops within a four mile area of Mossy Creek in White County, Georgia.  This became one of the largest pottery communities in the South. Click here for more history. pawprintpottery In North Carolina there is a strong folk potter presence and some of today’s most famous potters include Burlon Craig, whose large face jugs can go as h...

If you have never been to Lake Toxaway, I encourage you to go. Look at this view. http://www.laketoxaway.com Opened in 1903, Lake Toxaway was, and still is, the largest privately held lake in North Carolina. At the turn of the previous centruy, after the lake was built, the inn was built to overlook the lake. The hotel was  framed by a wide veranda and outfitted with the most elegant furnishings and modern conveniences available.   http://www.laketoxaway.com A brochure from 1905 states that the Inn had “more than one hundred rooms en suite.” Some reports claim the Inn had as many as five hundred rooms. When it opened in 1903, the Toxaway Inn offered the most modern conveniences, including central heat and private indoor plumbing, long-distance telephones, elevators, a billiard parlor and bowling alley, and a gazebo for outdoor concerts. http://www.laketoxaway.com Beautiful lobby.   Love these old postcards. http://dc.lib.unc.edu/cdm/ref/coll...