Wednesday, November 3, 2010

Tenacious in Tennessee

Another favorite stop along the quilt trail in Tennessee--yes, there are a lot of incredible stories there--is St. John's Mill, in Watauga County.

If you want to hear a great tale and are ready to "set a spell," this is the place to go--the owner, Ron Dawson, is like a storyteller from bygone days. I spent over an hour there and would have spent more had I not been on a schedule.

This is the oldest continuously operating business in Tennessee and dates back to before the Revolutionary War. Just a fascinating spot. And of course, the Dutch Boys and Dutch Girls on the quilt block make it even more so.

It has held up remarkably well--just last week, raging winds tore one end of the mill off and sent boards flying in all directions. Ron shook his head and just said, "We'll get it all put back together in no time."

4 comments:

  1. I liked this one! I have seen many of these barns in Ohio~

    ReplyDelete
  2. If you ever get to KY or TN--there are some beautiful ones there!!

    ReplyDelete
  3. I would love to paint one on my barn. Are there any restrictions or guidlines?

    Gmama Jane

    ReplyDelete
  4. No restrictions--it's your barn! But if you need some help as far as how to proceed, I can put you in touch with some experienced folks. Let me know.

    ReplyDelete