Trapped with no way out, 197 miners and several young boys ran out of air. Many wrote letters that can be seen at the museum. But I warn you, when you visit the letters are heart rending!Upon entering you will meet some wonderful and dedicated folks that are always willing to share their knowledge about the coal mining disaster and the history of the leasing program that was defeated!
AmericanPressTravelNews-May 22nd, Rocky Top, TN.-Bob and Barb “On the Road Again” and “Stopping to Smell the Roses” this time at the Coal Creek Miners Museum-The Museum tells the story of the miners that lived, worked and died in Coal Creek, Fraterville and Briceville TN> The museum also tells about the historically important events that changed the mining industry. The story starts in the late 1800’s when the “free” miners fought against the convict lease system, a struggle that ultimately ended the system in this southern state. The story goes on to depict how these communities not only survived one mining disaster but two that killed almost every man in the community along with many young boys who were taken to work by their fathers. Say hi to Sandee or Boomer (in picture with T-shirts) Visit when you can:located at Militia Hill, Circle Cemetary in Rocky Top; 201 S. Main St. Rocky Top, TN.www.coalcreekminersmuseum.com
Next door to the museum is where we did barbeque brisket at the Coal Creek Smokehouse BBQ. Very friendly accommodating folks all the way around!
“The museum gardens are not only for the benefit of the tourist , they also serve as a food supply for the Irwin’s and their neighbors.” John Rice Irwin is shown here with his wife Elizabeth, and their two grandchildren, Lindsey and John Rice Irwin Meyer. Photo by John Meyer.
AmericanPressTravelNews-May 17th, Clinton, TN.-Bob and Barb “On the Road Again” this time at the Museum of Appalachia–I first met John Rice Irwin over a decade ago. His sparkling eyes and spirit for the past, as he’d dragged it into the present to preserve it for the future shone through loud and clear-not just what he said, but how he told the story of his foraging to collect on to his property the remnants of what is still left of early Appalachia as a living museum.
John Rice Irwin spent a lifetime collecting the artifacts of the Appalachian people and although the museum’s founder is now retired, he can still remember just about every auction, every smokehouse and barn he has explored–and every good friend that he has made among the rural folks of Appalachia. Those histories–and the people to which they are connected–are central to his passion for collecting and central to the character of the Museum.
It was the familiar story of the devastating Barren Creek flood–legendary in East Tennessee for churning past the banks of the Clinch River in the dead of night and sweeping many people and hundreds of farm animals to their deaths–that led to one of his earliest purchases. The purchase, made at a local auction, was just an old, worn, poplar horse-shoeing box, but the auctioneer mentioned in passing that it had been fished out of the nearby Clinch River over half a century earlier, following the catastrophic flood.
After that purchase came many others, sometimes at auction, sometimes from making trips over dirt tracks and going door to door. Earning the hard-won trust of rural folk is never easy, and John Rice will tell you that it was his knowledge of and curiosity about old-time farm implements that often opened the door to friendships. But conversations with him begin to draw a larger picture, one where it becomes clear that it was—and continues to be—his admiration and esteem for the ingenuity, craftsmanship, and hardy perseverance of the people of Appalachia that has allowed him to forge relationships of trust and mutual respect.
The purchase of several truckloads of early Appalachian artifacts from Bill Parkey of Hancock County reveals just such a relationship. Bill’s family had lived in Rebel Hollow near the Powell River for generations, settling there before the Civil War, and the old homeplace had a wealth of early tools and equipment that he continued to use for blacksmithing and wagon-making. For years, John Rice had been told that Bill would never part with his beloved tools for any amount of money. The warnings largely were correct, for although John Rice occasionally was able to purchase a thing or two, his trips to “Revel Holler” were generally spent just visiting with his friend. It was only after Bill’s death that his widow called John Rice, saying that Bill had told her never to sell his cherished tools unless it was to “the professor”—because John Rice had “always treated him right.” It is illustrative that John Rice insisted on paying Mrs. Parkey twice her asking price for several truckloads of her husband’s tools.
What grew out of John Rice’s love for this region’s past and its people is an impressive living history that has been nationally acclaimed. It has been featured in the Smithsonian magazine, which said, “it vividly portrays something ethereal—the soul of mountain people,” and it has been named one of only a handful of affiliates of the prestigious Smithsonian Institution in the state of Tennessee.
News Release: reprinted by AmericanPressTravelNews–May 1, 2017–Lionfish and festivals and reward programs, OH MY!
Join the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) in celebrating the third annual Lionfish Removal and Awareness Day (Saturday, May 20) by attending a festival, a tournament or by participating in the 2017 Lionfish Challenge removal incentive program.
Lionfish Removal and Awareness Day (the first Saturday after Mother’s Day each year) raises awareness about lionfish; a nonnative, invasive species that has a potential negative impact on native species and habitat. Learn more about one of the many upcoming lionfish removal events and opportunities below.
Pensacola Lionfish Removal and Awareness Day Festival and Tournament The third annual Lionfish Removal and Awareness Day Festival will be from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. May 20-21 at Plaza de Luna, 900 S. Palafox St., Pensacola.
This event will include celebrity chef and fillet demonstrations, lionfish tastings, family-friendly games and activities, and more than 40 art, diving and conservation vendors.
To participate in the tournament hosted by the Gulf Coast Lionfish Coalition, visit the Lionfish World Championship webpage at LionfishWorldChampionship.com.
Check out the booths of our many sponsors including Jimmy Buffett’s Margaritaville, Whole Foods Market, iHeartMedia, Coast Watch Alliance, Visit Pensacola, Escambia County Division of Marine Resources, Florida Sea Grant, the city of Pensacola, Navarre Beach Marine Science Station, tournament host Gulf Coast Lionfish Coalition, Guy Harvey Magazine, SHELLArt, Dive Rite, ZooKeeper, and Dive Pros.
Have an artistic child in your life? Send their masterpieces in to the Lionfish Removal and Awareness Day Mail Art contest by May 10. The theme is “Protect our Native Fishes from Lionfish” and all drawings, collages, paintings or photos are welcome. Mail entries to Escambia County Marine Resources, 3363 West Park Place, Pensacola, FL 32505. The contest is open to students from elementary to high school. Winners will receive snorkeling gear and lionfish swag. Email Shelly Marshall at SMarshall@MyEscambia.com to learn more.
Statewide lionfish events
Can’t make the Pensacola festival and tournament? Find an event near you by scrolling over “Event Info” at the top of ReefRangers.com and clicking on ”Statewide Events.”
Lion Tamer Tournament – Panama City Beach.
Destin Lionfish Tournament – Destin.
Sebastian Lionfish Fest – Sebastian.
REEF Lionfish Workshop and Collection – Big Pine Key.
Northeast Florida Lionfish Blast – Jacksonville.
FSDA Lionfish Calcutta – St. Petersburg.
FWC Exotic Pet Amnesty Day – Sanford – May 6.
Look for event updates at MyFWC.com/Lionfish by clicking on “Lionfish Derbies and Events.”
Lionfish Challenge
Recreational and commercial lionfish hunters are invited to get rewarded for their lionfish removal efforts by participating in FWC’s revamped Lionfish Challenge. The program starts Lionfish Removal and Awareness Day (May 20) and will end on Labor Day (Sept. 4). New this year, lionfish hunters can participate in either a recreational or commercial category (all participants who have an active Saltwater Products License and who have commercial lionfish sales within the past year must participate in the commercial category).
Rewards for recreational and commercial participants include:
A commemorative coin to mark membership.
An event T-shirt.
Lionfish Hall of Fame recognition on the MyFWC.com website.
If qualified before July 26, the opportunity to take an additional spiny lobster per day during the 2017 sport season (July 26-27).
Participants may also qualify for additional prizes such as a reusable lionfish sting heat pack, customized neck gaiter, customized tumbler, and pole spear with grip kit.
The recreational and commercial harvesters who check in the most lionfish will be crowned Florida’s Lionfish King or Queen and Florida’s Commercial Champion and both will be recognized at the 2017 Lionfish Safari Sept. 10 in St. Petersburg.
To enter the program, participants must register online at MyFWC.com/Lionfish. Registration opens May 8.
After registration, participants may email photos of their first 25 qualifying lionfish (or trip tickets totaling at least 25 pounds sold for commercial harvesters) to Lionfish@MyFWC.com. Be sure to include the name of the harvester, the date harvested and your signature in the photo (written on a piece of paper next to the fish for example). Participants in the recreational category must bring the tails of any lionfish harvested in excess of the initial 25 to an FWC-approved checkpoint (list will be available May 20 on MyFWC.com/Lionfish by clicking on “Lionfish Challenge”).
Questions?
Contact the FWC Division of Marine Fisheries Management at 850-487-0554. For more on FWC’s Pet Amnesty Day, or if you have an exotic pet and need help finding it a new home, visit MyFWC.com/WildlifeHabitats and click on “Nonnative Species” and “Exotic Pet Amnesty Program.”
AmericanPressTravelNews-April 29th, New Release–Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) Snook will close to all harvest in Gulf state, federal and inland waters, including all of Monroe County and Everglades National Park, starting May 1. Seasonal harvest closures conserve Florida’s valuable snook populations and help sustain and improve the fishery for the future.
Snook is open to harvest in Atlantic state, federal and inland waters, including Lake Okeechobee and the Kissimmee River, through May 31, closing June 1.Both the Atlantic and Gulf will reopen for recreational snook harvest Sept. 1.
Snook are one of the many reasons Florida is the Fishing Capital of the World. While snook may be caught and released during the closed season, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) encourages anglers to handle their catch carefully to help the fish survive upon release. Proper handling methods can help ensure the species’ abundance for anglers today and generations to come. To learn more about fish handling, visit MyFWC.com/Fishing and click on “Saltwater Fishing,” “Recreational Regulations” and “Fish Handling.”
Anglers can report their catch on the Snook & Gamefish Foundation’s website at SnookFoundation.org by clicking on the “Angler Action Program” link in the bar at the top of the page.
