tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5591218908346224982.post8820466500379120835..comments2024-02-27T05:42:03.370-08:00Comments on Reflections of Olde Swain: An Epic Journey, Part 1: The PreparationOlde Swainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08907065516770688746noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5591218908346224982.post-55521550307290444502015-03-10T10:32:10.518-07:002015-03-10T10:32:10.518-07:00I suspect that, from your description, you didn...I suspect that, from your description, you didn't quite make it up to the Casada home place. The location where you found the vehicle parts was the home site of Ben Lollis, who bought the property from my grandparents. I completely agree with your thought that the rocks just above there were for a barn foundation. There is a completely fallen chimney pile sort of in between the vehicle parts and the barn. Ben's home was a box structure, according to NC Park Commission records. It's my conjecture that he actually moved the original chimney, which was from the place where the Casada family lived, down to where he built the new home. <br /><br />Should you go back up, I'd encourage you to go around into the hollow just west of the Lollis home site. There's a bit of a footpath that will mark the way. About 100 yards around that way, look down below the path and you'll see some metal which was used to keep leaves, etc. out of the spring. <br /><br />The Casada home was about another 0.2 miles above the Lollis place. It was definitely a log cabin (per my father), and of course had a chimney. But there's no chimney pile - which is why I think Ben hauled the rocks down to use at the new place. There is a rocked-in spring, a rock wall which extends across the hollow immediately above the Casada home site, and a thicket of japonica (flowering quince), mock orange, and some daylilies where the home stood. About 30 yards southeast of the home site is a second-growth yellow poplar which is around 3 ft in diameter. There are several other sizable trees in the area, including walnut, ash, and oak. Most of those have grown from seed since the park was created (definitely the poplar, since it is in the middle of what was the garden area).<br /><br />There's also a rock wall close to the branch down below the home. But there’s a particularly impressive rock wall starting about 150 or 200 yards above the homesite. That wall runs alongside a wet weather branch which, in times of heavy rain, really gets rolling. That rock wall is roughly 150 yards long.<br /><br />I don't talk about the home site on Juneywhank as a part of the follow-up article (it's about the journey), but if there is interest, maybe Wendy will ask me to do another piece sometime about the home place itself.<br /><br />I have a bit different take on visiting these places which I'd encourage you to consider. Instead of feeling like an intruder, consider yourself as a guest whose visit is paying tribute to the folks that once called the place a home. It is important, in my view, to - just as you clearly do – recall that these were once places of hard work, places of joys and sorrows. As you note, those were tough people who had to be both smart and hard-working just to make do.<br /><br /><br /> Don Casadanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5591218908346224982.post-70093279214779495842015-03-09T10:09:29.673-07:002015-03-09T10:09:29.673-07:00Very interesting. I believe I have visited your fa...Very interesting. I believe I have visited your family homestead above the falls. Did you write an article about it in the Smoky Mountain Times a few years ago? I read that article and decided to visit the site. I followed the branch up past the falls to wear the land flattened out. There was an old stone wall that appeared to be the entrance to the property. You could still see some rocks that appeared to be the foundation of a barn, part of an old vehicle and part of a road. It was very peaceful, however, I felt like an intruder into someone's lives and memories. I am glad that the park is there for everyone to enjoy but to me it is always a little sad to see the old homesteads and no that at one time these places teemed with life and activity. When I see the perennial flowers that mark some of the old homesteads I always think of the farm woman who took the time to plant them almost 100 years ago. Also, you have to marvel at how tough and self reliant these people were. That home site is a long way out of town to walk or ride in a wagon.<br /><br />Great story. Thanks for sharing, and I am looking forward to the next one.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com