Seasonal Interpretive Programs with Slade Nakoff & Matthew Simerly
June 15 – 26, 2022
Carter Mansion Tour
June 17, 19, 23, 25 1:00 pm
Adults – $9.00; Ages 7 to 17 years – $5.00; 6 and under free
Tax included Max: 12
Registration required – www.tnstateparks.com/parks/events/sycamore-shoals
Join Seasonal Interpreter Slade Nakoff for a tour of Tennessee’s oldest frame house! Discover the secrets of this elegant frontier home and learn the history of the family who built it between 1775 and 1780.
The John and Landon Carter Mansion is located at 1031 Broad Street, Elizabethton, TN 37643
Accessibility to the home includes steps and an interior staircase. Tour may be subject to cancelation in the event of severely inclement weather.
Sabine Hill Guided Tour
June 16, 18, 24, 30 1:00 pm
Adults – $9.00; Ages 7 to 17 years – $5.00; 6 and under free
Tax included Max: 12
Registration required – www.tnstateparks.com/parks/events/sycamore-shoals
Join Seasonal Interpreter Matthew Simerly for a guided tour of this stately home built by Mary Patton Taylor, widow of Brigadier General Nathaniel Taylor. The site has been described as one of the finest examples of Federal architecture in the State of Tennessee. During your tour you will have the opportunity to take in the colorful and architecturally detailed interior while learning about the influential Taylor family who called Sabine Hill home in the early 19th century.
Sabine Hill is located at 2328 West G Street, Elizabethton, TN 37643
Please note, only portable toilet facilities are available at this time. Accessibility to the home includes steps and an interior staircase. Tour may be subject to cancelation in the event of severely inclement weather.
Please note, only portable toilet facilities are available at this time. Accessibility to the home includes steps and an interior staircase. Tour may be subject to cancelation in the event of severely inclement weather.
Wednesday June 15th
10:30 a.m. “The Dye Pot” –Up until recent times most colors were created using natural substances. Join Slade Nakoff as he demonstrates how local plant species can be used to create various colors of dye. This event will be held inside fort Watauga. Duration: 30 minutes.
2:00 p.m. “How to Start a Fire with Flint and Steel” –Join Matthew Simerly in the fort as he teaches you how to build and start a fire with flint and steel just like the frontier settlers. Learn how make your fire-starting kit, a useful skill for hikers, campers, and any outdoors loving person. Duration: 30 minutes.
Thursday June 16th
10:30 a.m. “Long Hunters, Who Were They?” –Come down to the fort and join Matthew Simerly as he explains who long hunters were, what they did, and how they explored Tennessee and Kentucky. Learn how these men opened up the lands west of the Appalachian Mountains to be settled, and what drove these men to explore beyond the frontier and into the wild west of the 1760s. Duration: 30 minutes.
2:00 p.m. “Brain Tanned Deer Hide” –Leather was an important commodity as well as a trade item during the 18th century. Join Slade Nakoff as he starts the historical process of making leather. Duration: 30 minutes.
Friday June 17th
10:30 a.m. “Quillwork” –Join Slade Nakoff as he demonstrates the process of quillwork, a predecessor to beadwork achieved with porcupine quills. Meet in the visitor’s center. Duration: 30 minutes.
2:00 p.m. “Dress to Impress, 1770s style” –Mark Twain once said, “Clothes make the man” and in the 1770s it was especially true. Head up to the visitor’s center and listen to Matthew Simerly as he discusses the fashion of the time and the function of those clothes. You’ll learn how social standing, ethnic background and geographical region shaped how people dressed in the time of the American Revolution. Duration: 30 minutes.
Saturday June 18th
10:30 a.m. “Kids Militia” –Calling all kids! Report to Fort Watauga for training under the command of Matthew Simerly. Kids will learn about the Militia’s role in the American Revolution by experiencing the basic drill and the equipment they used. This program allows kids to connected with their history in a fun and hands on way. Ideal for kids 6 to 12. Duration: 30 minutes.
2:00 p.m. “The Colonial Gunsmith” –Join Slade Nakoff as he demonstrates and describes the work of a gunsmith during the 18th century along with the methods of the trade. Meet in the visitor’s center. Duration: 30 minutes.
Sunday June 19th
10:30 a.m. “Buckskin Breeches” –Buckskin short pants or “Knee breeches” were the blue jeans of the 18th century. Join Slade Nakoff as he demonstrates the construction of such a garment while outlining the deerskin trade along the frontier. This event will be held inside fort Watauga. Duration: 30 minutes
2:00 p.m. “A Chat with a Continental Soldier” –Today Matthew Simerly will explain the equipment of the common soldier, their daily duty, and experiences. From the clothes they wore to the food they ate, see what the men faced as they fought for our independence. Duration: 30 minutes.
Wednesday June 22nd
10:30 a.m. “How to Start a Fire with Flint and Steel” –Join Matthew Simerly in the fort as he teaches you how to build and start a fire with flint and steel just like the frontier settlers. Learn how make your fire-starting kit, a useful skill for hikers, campers, and any outdoors loving person. Duration: 30 minutes.
2:00 p.m. “The Everyday Apprentice” –The road of an apprentice during the 18th century was a hard one. Slade Nakoff will be describing the everyday life of an apprentice and their trials and tribulations. Meet in the visitor’s center. Duration: 30 minutes.
Thursday June 23rd
10:30 a.m. “Scrimshaw, what is that?” –Join Slade Nakoff as he discusses the art of scrimshaw and its history as well as demonstrating different techniques and methods. Meet in front of the fort. Duration: 30 minutes.
2:00 p.m. “Long Hunters, Who Were They?” –Come down to the fort and join Matthew Simerly as he explains who long hunters were, what they did, and how they explored Tennessee and Kentucky. Learn how these men opened up the lands west of the Appalachian Mountains to be settled, and what drove these men to explore beyond the frontier and into the wild west of the 1760s. Duration: 30 minutes.
Friday June 24th
10:30 a.m. “Quillwork” –Join Slade Nakoff as he demonstrates the process of quillwork, a predecessor to beadwork achieved with porcupine quills. Meet in the visitor’s center. Duration: 30 minutes.
2:00 p.m. “A Chat with a Continental Soldier” –Today Matthew Simerly will explain the equipment of the common soldier, their daily duty, and experiences. From the clothes they wore to the food they ate, see what the men faced as they fought for our independence. Duration: 30 minutes.
Saturday June 25th
10:30 a.m. “Brain Tanned Deer Hide” –Leather was an important commodity as well as a trade item during the 18th century. Join Slade Nakoff as he starts the historical process of making leather. Duration: 30 minutes.
2:00 p.m. “Kids Militia” –Calling all kids! Report to Fort Watauga for training under the command of Matthew Simerly. Kids will learn about the Militia’s role in the American Revolution by experiencing the basic drill and the equipment they used. This program allows kids to connected with their history in a fun and hands on way. Ideal for kids 6 to 12. Duration: 30 minutes.
Sunday June 26th
10:30 a.m. “Dress to Impress, 1770s style” –Mark Twain once said, “Clothes make the man” and in the 1770s it was especially true. Head up to the visitor’s center and listen to Matthew Simerly as he discusses the fashion of the time and the function of those clothes. You’ll learn how social standing, ethnic background and geographical region shaped how people dressed in the time of the American Revolution. Duration: 30 minutes.
2:00 p.m. “Firearms of the 18th century” –Join Slade Nakoff as he demonstrates how firearms of the 18th century function and describes their construction. Meet in the visitor’s center. Duration: 20 minutes.
Visitors Center Hours:
9:00 AM – 4:00 PM Monday through Saturday
1:00 PM – 4:30 PM Sunday
Our Visitors Center is closed on most State holidays.
Park grounds are open from dawn until dusk.
Sycamore Shoals State Historic Park
1651 W. Elk Avenue
Elizabethton, TN 37643
423-543-5808
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tnstateparks.com/parks/sycamore-shoals
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SYCAMORE SHOALS STATE HISTORIC PARK 