TOUR AMERICA, 2021: MISTY MOUNTAIN CAMP RESORT, GREENWOOD, VIRGINIA

Wednesday, April 28, 2021

Temperature Low, 62 Degrees; High, 89 Degrees

Company Came Calling

Get Lost In The Past –Part Two

We had company last night, well sort of

I have no idea what brought them to our site but they are still here. When I went out this morning after breakfast, they were still there under our picnic table. I decided not to feed them because I’m sure if I did, they would never go away.

Time now to Go Back To The Past. Yesterday, we were in Ireland, today we move to

Germans were the largest group of non-English speaking Europeans to settle in colonial America. Between 1683 and 1776, roughly 120,000 German-speaking immigrants arrived in the colonies. Thought most settled around the Philadelphia area, over time, German-speaking colonists found their way into the Great Valley of the Appalachians and, by the 1730s, across the Potomac River into the northern Valley of Virginia. 

We were informed that this home, found and brought from Germany, was the home of a tailor. We were also told that though a tailor he would still be considered a peasant, but an upper class peasant. I forgot to ask him what one had to do to advance even higher in the social hierarchy. It was probably a combination of land and money.

Though the house had recently been whitewashed, the outbuildings were in urgent need of repairs and also a fresh coat of whitewash. The guide at this exhibit informed us that he would be beginning such immediately after his lunch break. It’s good to know that all the buildings in the various exhibits are constantly being tended to.

We move now to early Indian and American Settlers

Ganatastwi is a Native American Exhibit at the Frontier Culture Museum that shows how a small group of native Americans might have been living west of the Blue Ridge around 1730, or just near the beginning of European and West African settlement in the wider region.

Eastern Woodland Culture is a term used today to classify the people who lived in this area. The dome shaped home above, commonly known as a wigwam, was one form of house that inhabitants of this area lived in. These houses, usually owned by women, were made of saplings, tree bark and cat tail reeds. The women typically did the farming and the men hunted and fished.

They traded furs, beads, and cloth with both settlers and other Indians.

Now we come to the early American settlements.

Settlement of America’s Appalachian river valleys began in the late 1720s. The colony of Virginia enacted land policies to attract settlers to create a buffer of Protestant farmers on the colony’s western frontier.

The 1740s farmhouse is a lonely log cabin, with just the basic necessities.

Most of the time the inhabitants of the cabin slept on the floor. When there was a bed, if you can call it that it was a crude creation crafted out of slats and posts.

Life was simple and tough. The fireplace was small and the chimney was built separate from the cabin. The reason being when there was a fire in the chimney, which was frequent, they could just push the chimney away from the cabin thus saving their home. Cooking equipment consisted of a cast iron pot and possibly a frying pan. Food was served on wooden platers or pewter dishes.

It was up to you to supply your own food. You either grew it or hunted for it.

Moving on

By the early 1800’s farmers in the Valley of Virginia were able to provide a comfortable lifestyle for themselves, and their families.

This farmhouse is palatal by earlier standards.

Instead of just one room, there many different rooms for different functions. Off to the right you can just see the one corner of a cast iron stove. These stoves were slowly replacing the fireplace as the means of heating homes.

Cooking utensils were becoming more varied and of better quality.

Moving outside

With that we now move from the past back into the future. We found the Museum absolutely fascinating and highly recommend a tour of it to anyone who happens to have a few hours to spare when in this area.

I know one thing, I have an absolutely new perspective on those who settled this country. I can only imagine the hardships they suffered. By the sweat of their brow they built this land that we call America. Now, it is up to us to preserve it and the freedoms they fought so hard for.

Our day on The Road of Retirement has once again come to an end. It’s been a fun day in many ways. We were able to spend some more time with Carol and Bob. We met them at

Without going into any detail, let me just say lunch turned out to be very interesting!

Time now to say goodnight. We move again tomorrow and we need to be rested and ready to go for our really long move – maybe two hours!

Thanks for taking the time to read our blog.  We always appreciate your company, your comments, and your suggestions. Keep safe, keep healthy, live to the fullest the days that God gives you.

These are the voyages of  Elvira and her two intrepid travelers.  Our continuing mission: to explore as many new states as possible, to seek out new acquaintances and make new friends, to boldly go where we have never been before.

See you on down the road!