Page Updated: September 12, 2023
Mingus Mill &
Mountain Farm Museum
Hovenweep Castle - Montezuma Creek UT
At the southern entrance to Great Smoky Mountain National Park in Cherokee, NC sits a collection of historic buildings that have been gathered from throughout the Smokies and assembled in a large field in an attempt to recreate a 19th century mountain farmstead.
The assorted log buildings and additional structures are located in a large field behind the Oconaluftee Visitor Center - the southern gateway to the park. Details on the museum’s audio tour can be found in the Visitor Center.
The beginning of the audio tour leads visitors to the anchor of the museums collection; The Davis house. The American Chestnut log cabin was constructed circa 1900 and took two years to build. A peak inside shows furnished rooms with the main living space containing a sewing machine and a piano.
“The logs walls are '“matched.” Davis split chestnut logs in half along their length and placed the halves in matching positions on opposite walls.” -National Parks Service signage
Though some of the structures at the Mountain Farm were relocated to model a pioneer farm, the Enloe Barn now sits just 200 yards from where it was originally built. The structure features a steeply pitched roof covered in thousands of hand-split shingles.
Other structures exhibited include a meat house and corn crib; each vital to the survival of life on the farm. While the meat house speaks for its self, we learned corn was the most important crop. Corn was stored dry on the cob and all parts of the plant were used.
“The shucks were woven into chair seats, used to stuff mattresses , and made into dolls, hats, rugs, and mops. The leaves of the plant were fed to livestock and dry corncobs made good kindling for starting fires.” -National Parks Sign
The Apple House on display was moved from Little Cataloochee, NC. and is larger than one from the average farm. This one was served a farm growing apples for commercial use.
Chickens currently occupy the farm and of course they have an old school coop; and even though it wasn’t currently in the pen the day of our visit, it was obvious by the smell a pig still has fun in it.
Some of the farms neater features are a Bee Gum Stand - hollowed out trees that house a hive for raising bees, the Ash Hopper that informs visitors of how ash was turned into lye, and the Sorghum Mill and Furnace that once produced “thick, dark, stringy molasses.”
A blacksmith shop and a spring house are located on the northeast side of the field near the Oconaluftee River.
On the river bank, visitors will find signs marking the Oconaluftee River Trail. The trail follows the river for 1.5 miles and ends at Eastern Cherokee tribal lands. The 3-mile round trip trail educates visitors on aspects of the Cherokee people.
While the Mountain Farm Museum sits at the southern entrance to Great Smoky Mountain National Park, roughly half a mile into the park from the Oconaluftee Visitor center sits Mingus Mill.
The mill served as the largest gristmill in the Smokies and still rests on its original 1886 site. Still in operation today, visitors can view demonstrations from Spring ‘til early Autumn and purchase items like corn meal and cookbooks during operating hours.
-b&b
Great Smoky Mountain National Park
