Monday, October 30, 2017

Road Trip Hart Square Part Two



Inside the cotton gin.

Here is a video I shot with a gentleman talking about Hart Square and the Cotton Gin.





This is how they baled the cotton.


Underneath the cotton gin.



Rug Hooking.







Cutting, carding, and spinning flax to make linen.



Leather working.




Steaming and bending wood.





There were 4 or 5 groups in different areas playing.


Grinding apples.





I LOVED watching this little girl clog and seeing the expressions on her face.


Grist mill.







This mud covered fire box for the still made a hotter fire so moonshine making more efficient and is created less smoke so they were less likely to be detected!


Chair caning.










Lady making lace.







Carving toys.


As I was getting ready to leave they took the top off the kiln.

What a great experience!  Here is a link to the website. 

There is a beautiful coffee table book you can purchase.





Road Trip Hart Square Part One

On my way west I stopped to shoot a few scenes.

Not really evident in my photos but the light was amazing. Why is the light different this time of the year and why does it matter?

The sun is lower in the sky and so the shadows are longer and darker even in the middle of the day creating a very dramatic affect.


The cotton will be all picked soon, glad I got a few photos.




My friend Jack, who I haven't seen in several years, at the paint out in Hillsborough.



I have been to Winston Salem many times and always like to stop on Trade Street to check out the galleries. One of my favorites is The Other Half Gallery, owned by potter Ron Propst and his wife Tamara.

I was going to go to Old Salem to take a few photos but Tamara suggested I go to Bethabara, I'd never been. It is the first Moravian settlement in North Carolina, founded in 1753 (New Bern was founded in 1710). It is just a few miles from Old Salem.

There are a lot of ruins there, underground portion of the foundations of the homes. They were excavated in the early 1960s.

The Bethabara community contained over 75 major buildings during its first 20 years.





The restored 1788 Gemeinhaus is the only remaining German 18th century church with attached living quarters.





A quick stop at Reynolda House shopping area.




Back to Hart Square.....

I had never heard of Hart Square but when friends said they were going I said I'll go too.

It seems a Doctor Bob Hart has purchased and moved over 100 log buildings -   to a 200-acre field/woods near Hickory. There’s a tavern, tobacco barn, Doctor’s office, post office, School, moonshine still,  cotton gin, church, general store, and a print shop (plus 90 more buildings!).
And once a year, every fourth Saturday in October, Hart invites about 200 artisans and craftsmen he knows to Hart Square. He sells 3,000 tickets, as a fundraiser for the local Historical Society, and I was told to call the day they go on sale because the often sell out the first day.

So I got to watch the people work at ginning cotton, making brooms, spinning flax and throwing pots.

It was really wonderful! I've got LOTS of photos so this will take several posts!


The huge kiln being fired, they started it at 3:30 that morning.



North Carolina Face Jug.


The other end of the kiln.



Bookmaker



I'm always curious where grindstones are from since we grew up not far from Grindstone City in Michigan, the stone there was found nowhere else in the US and created the finest textured grindstones . The industry lasted for 100 years. I own a grindstone from there!


Carving dough bowls.


A grindstone collection!




In different areas they were making molasses, apple butter, boiled peanuts, and a host of other food items.



Tin smiths.


Dr Hart had 3 lakes dug.


The Propst House!



The ferry to the Fish House island, of course I had to ride it, powered by hand.


The smokehouse.


Shelling corn.




A cooper, making wagon wheels.


Boiled peanuts.