Wednesday, October 14, 2009

Grayson Highlands Day Trip, Part II

After I ate lunch (a good old burger and hot dog), I took a short stroll to the historical section of the park, which was just across a field from where we were set up at the grill. This is the old Weaver Farm, named for the family who once homesteaded this high elevation farmland. The place is gorgeous with grassy fields, stone walls, real chestnut log fences (over 100 years old and still standing), spring house, cabins, barns, molasses mill, etc.

I had a good time exploring the old homestead. And every step I'd take I was astounded at the quality of the Fall colors in their peak times. We had arrived expecting a few trees to be showing good color, but nothing like what we experienced. It was all just a great surprise.


The Weaver Farm.

One of the rock walls around the farm.

The main Weaver cabin.

I really liked the chimney. All of those stones perfectly arranged.

Part of the chestnut rail fence. Eighty years since the blight exterminated the species, these rails are still standing strong and resistant to decay. What a loss.

The secondary cabin at the homestead.

The spring house.




Inside the spring house.


The oven where the cane squeezings were rendered into syrup.

The molasses mill, where the cane was crushed. Preferably, the mill was turned by one or two mules.

The outhouse with trees afire with the blaze of Autumn.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hey, how 'bout some of that good, unpasteurized apple cider and a fried turkey leg for lunch next trip up. Oh yes!!!

Anonymous said...

Hey, how 'bout some of that good, unpasteurized apple cider and a fried turkey leg for lunch next trip up. Oh yes!!!

James Robert Smith said...

Sounds good.