Mode of Program Participation
Academic Scholarship
Participation Type
Panel
Session Title
Shelter On The Mountain: Barns and Building Traditions of the Southern Highlands
Session Abstract or Summary
The session will present an overview of the unique built environment created in the Southern Appalachian mountains. It is a product of the melding of Native and European settler cultures, histories, and architectural traditions. The physical iterations of this melding are functional and ingeniously designed agricultural and residential structures, built by makers who used only the resources and tools that were available, which were few.
In addition to creating an inventory of structures, these builders fabricated new horizons out of nothing – and transformed the unforgiving landscape into a land of promise in the process. The built landscape we view now is the product of an evolution that reflects the sweeping economic, social, political, and agricultural shifts that occurred in this region over the centuries. Structural design adapted also to realities such as population changes, topography, and other shifting factors. This extant inventory of historic barns and homes allows us to draw important conclusions about the region’s past, as well as the ability to analyze the forms presently.
Presentation #1 Title
The Built Environment of the Southern Highlands, from the Ani Kituwah to the European Settlement
Presentation #1 Abstract or Summary
This presentation will present a look at the built environment, including agricultural and domestic architecture, that was created by the native peoples of the Southern Highlands and transformed by Spanish explorers and English settlers.
At-A-Glance Bio- Presenter #1
LES REKER is the Director of the Rural Heritage Museum of Mars Hill University. Artist,historian, and former college professor, Reker has been a Museum professional for over 30 years.
Presentation #2 Title
Southern Appalachian Barn Building Traditions from the 18th Century to the Present
Presentation #2 Abstract or Summary
This presentation will highlight the evolution and traditions of barn building types and their use in the Southern Highlands from the late 18th century to the present. The author will also discuss how the knowledge of these traditions has been lost to current generations of mountain native farmers.
At-A-Glance Bio- Presenter #2
TAYLOR BARNHILL is a native North Carolinian living in his adoptive home of Madison County, North Carolina. He is an architect, planner and non-profit consultant, and serves part-time as lead investigator for the Appalachian Barn Alliance documenting the historic barns of Madison County. He enjoys writing on various topics including rural heritage and natural resource conservation.
The Built Environment of the Southern Highlands, from the Ani Kituwah to the European Settlement
This presentation will present a look at the built environment, including agricultural and domestic architecture, that was created by the native peoples of the Southern Highlands and transformed by Spanish explorers and English settlers.
