This is a community reunion started about 14 years ago by 3 or 4 men (including my Dad) who wanted to keep the memories alive. This is the community my folks grew up in. There was a one room school house there that the local children attended. A couple of years ago there were four or five elderly people at the reunion that attended this first school.
The picture below is of that school house as it looks today.
They were in a 2 room school house after that. That is the one that most of the people living today remember. I remember this building but am sorry to say that it burned down a number of years ago. For a long time before it burned it was used as a dwelling for a family. It was a beautiful old building. It had the great big tall windows and everything you would think of in an old schoolhouse. I loved it and miss it being there. I have a picture of this building but can't put my hands on it right now.
This little "holler" has so much character and lots of memories for me. My Grandma lived in a little red house about half way up the holler right next to this house.
The man that lived in this house was called "Beehead". I'm not sure why (guess that is another story), but he was somehow related to my Dad. We always went to visit him when we were in the area. I have spent hours upon hours on the swing on that front porch. I was so disappointed to find out that I actually talked to one of his daughters when I took this picture and didn't realize who she was.
To get to this house you have to cross this.
This bridge is know as a "footlog" to the local people. I have never heard that term anywhere else, but have heard it there all my life. This one is new and looks great. I wish I had a picture of the ones that used to be there. I remember crying and refusing to walk across. I would have to be carried. When I got to big someone led me across because I was scared. Usually it was 2 logs (hence the footlog, I assume) with some boards nailed across them. They were usually wobbly and none too steady, but served the purpose.
These footlogs were necessary because in this area there is a creek that flows along all the roads it seems. The road is on one side of the creek and the houses are on the other, so you need the little bridge to get to the houses. I can't imagine what it is like in the winter since I don't ever remember being there in the winter time.
I have really taken a bunny trail from what I really wanted to write about. Charlie and I go to this community reunion just about every year to help my folks. We have done it so many years now that we are just part of it. Some years some of the kids go with us and some years it is just us. Just about every year I say that I would like to ride up the "holler" with my Dad and let him point out some things to me that I'm not real sure of. It has just never been possible since we most times just go down on that morning and come home that evening. But this year we decided to stay down there on Saturday night so we had some extra time at the end of the reunion. I got in the truck with my Dad and we had our ride. I wasn't sure exactly where my grandma's house actually had been since it has been gone for many years. He reminded me of the rock that had been right outside her back door. He said he had not been to that rock in years, so we decided to visit it.
The lower edge of this rock was just a few feet from the back of the house. I think it was a special time for him to go there and I was so happy to be part of it.
This maple tree was in the front yard and he said he used to notch it out and collect sap for syrup. He actually found the marks where the notches were.
It was such a great experience to share with my dad and see how excited he was to be there. It is one of those things that he just doesn't take time to do even though he is down there often.
It made a very special memory for me and I will always be glad we took the time to do it.
Every year I preach that we need to keep our heritage alive and listen to the stories our folks have to tell. Write them down and pass them on to our children. That is what these special days are all about.
