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Sabine Hill Bicentennial Celebration
October 12, 2018 - October 14, 2018
$8Sabine Hill Bicentennial Celebration
October 12, 13 & 14, 2018
2018 marks the 200th anniversary of Sabine Hill, the beautiful Taylor family home in Elizabethton, TN. Perched atop a prominent knoll at the west entrance of Elizabethton, Sabine Hill stands as a welcoming beacon to one of Tennessee’s most historic areas. Built by the widow of Brigadier General Nathaniel Taylor, Mary Patton Taylor, this beautiful surviving example of Federal architecture is a must see. Restored by the Tennessee Historical Commission, the house has been returned to its 1818 splendor and has been described as one of the finest examples of wood framed Federal architecture in the State of Tennessee. The operation of Sabine Hill is managed by Sycamore Shoals State Historic Park, and the park has a full weekend of activities planned to commemorate the bicentennial of this significant historic home.
The celebration kicks off at 6:00 PM on Friday, October 12 with “An Evening with Andrew Jackson” presented in ‘The Gathering Place’ of the Sycamore Shoals Visitors Center. Sycamore Shoals State Historic Park is proud to welcome historian and renowned living history figure Grant Hardin as he portrays one of America’s most well-known historic characters, General Andrew Jackson. Jackson was not a stranger to Elizabethton. It is said that when he served as a Tennessee Superior Court Judge from 1797 to 1803, Jackson held court under the sycamore tree where the Watauga Association had been established 25 years earlier. During the Creek Indian War and the War of 1812, Jackson was a contemporary of Brigadier General Nathaniel Taylor who may have begun the construction of Sabine Hill as early as 1811. The evening program will begin with a presentation of early 19th century music followed by General Jackson as he recounts his days as a youth during the American Revolution, his rise in military leadership, and his finest hour at the Battle of New Orleans. There will be a reception with light refreshments following the presentation. Admission to the event is $8.00. Pre-registration is required.
Please log on to the following website to register and purchase tickets – www.tnstateparks.com/parks/events/sycamore-shoals.
“An Evening with Andrew Jackson” Schedule:
6:00 – Doors Open
6:15 – Early 19th Century Music
7:00 – General Andrew Jackson
8:00 – Reception and Light Refreshments
6:00 – Doors Open
6:15 – Early 19th Century Music
7:00 – General Andrew Jackson
8:00 – Reception and Light Refreshments
The celebration continues through the weekend with guided tours of Sabine Hill giving visitors the opportunity to take in the colorful and architecturally detailed interior while learning about the Taylor family who called Sabine Hill home in the early 19th century. Tours are by reservation only. These special bicentennial tours will include early 19th century living history demonstrations and displays in addition to the regular guided tour of the historic house. Enjoy an 1812 era militia camp, US Army regular presentation, historic foodways, and more! Please note there are no restroom facilities on site at Sabine Hill, so plan accordingly before your arrival.
Sabine Hill Weekend Tour Schedule:
Saturday, October 13: 9am, 11am, 1pm & 3pm
Sunday, October 14: 1pm & 3pm
Admission costs are: Adults – $7.00; Ages 7 to 17- $5.00; Ages 6 and under- Free. Tours are limited to 18 guests per tour. Pre-registration is required. Please log on to the following website to register and purchase tickets –
www.tnstateparks.com/parks/events/sycamore-shoals. Sabine Hill State Historic Site is located at 2328 West G. Street,
Elizabethton, TN 37643.
As part of your weekend experience be sure to take in these additional interesting and informative programs.
Here in East Tennessee we are taught from youth about the significance of our region and its inhabitants in the American Revolution and the American Civil War. However, few people understand the crucial involvement that East Tennesseans had in the War of 1812. Melanie Storie, a lecturer with ETSU’s Department of History and former seasonal interpreter at Sycamore Shoals, will be presenting a fifty-minute lecture on East Tennessee’s role in one of America’s most important and most-oft-forgotten wars as part of the Sabine Hill Bicentennial Celebration. Her expertise lies within East Tennessee in nineteenth century history and her publications include, “The Dreaded Thirteenth Tennessee Union Cavalry: Marauding Mountain Men”. The lecture will take place in the Gathering Room within the Sycamore Shoals visitor center from 11:00-11:50 on Saturday, October 13and is free to the public.
Upper East Tennessee carries a strong legacy of traditional southern music. From bluesman Brownie McGhee to world-renowned singer Tennessee Ernie Ford, a wide array of music has spread from Tennessee’s mountains abroad. The Taylors of Elizabethton so too produced music that charmed the hearts and ears of locals and foreigners alike. Brothers Bob and Alf Taylor who at separate times held Tennessee’s highest office, brought mountain music to the national stage by ‘fiddling around’ on the campaign trail, even fiddling together when they ran against one another in the 1886 gubernatorial contest. Miraculously, links to the Taylor’s music such as phonograph records, eye-witness accounts and even Alf Taylor’s fiddle survive to today. Thanks to ETSU’s Reece Museum and director Randall Sanders, Alf’s fiddle among other Taylor related treasures will be on display at Sycamore Shoals for the Sabine Hill Bicentennial Celebration. Ranger Corbin Hayslett will present a program on East Tennessee fiddling and the Taylor brother’s influence and legacy on Saturday, October 13th in the Gathering Place within the Sycamore Shoals visitor center. The program will last from 12:00 – 12:50 and is free to the public.
Additionally the Sabine Hill Social Society will be offering opportunities throughout the weekend for visitors to take a glimpse into the social atmosphere of the early 19th century. These free programs will take place in the ‘Gathering Room’ of the Sycamore Shoals Visitor Center. Playing cards was a very common pastime in the early 1800s. On Saturday, October 13 from 1:30 to 4:00pm join in the fun, and learn some early 19th century card games. On Sunday, October 14 from 1:30 to 4:00pm join Sabine Hill Social Society members to learn about early 19th century dance styles and practices. Dancing was a highly popular social pastime, so come to learn or just to watch. No partner or prior experience required.
There will be plenty of opportunities this particular weekend to get the entire family out for a fun, entertaining and educational experience while celebrating 200 years of one of the area’s most historic homes.
For more information and a detailed schedule please contact Sycamore Shoals State Historic Park at 423-543-5808 or visit these websites; www.sycamoreshoalstn.org and www.tnstateparks.com/parks/sycamore-shoals. Sycamore Shoals State Historic Park is located at 1651 W. Elk Ave. Elizabethton, TN 37643. Sabine Hill State Historic Site is only 2 miles west of the park and is located at 2328 West G. Street, Elizabethton, TN 37643.
Sabine Hill Bicentennial Celebration – Schedule of Events
Friday, October 12th
An Evening with Andrew Jackson (Sycamore Shoals Visitors Center)
6:00 – Doors Open
6:15 – Early 19th Century Music
7:00 – Address by General Jackson
8:00 – Reception and Light Refreshments
Saturday, October 13th
9:00, 11:00, 1:00 & 3:00 – Sabine Hill Guided Tours (by reservation only)
Admission: Adults – $7.00; Ages 7 to 17- $5.00; Ages 6 and under- Free
11:00 – East Tennessee in the War of 1812 ~ Lecture by Melanie Storie (Sycamore Shoals Visitor Center)
12:00 – East Tennessee Fiddling: The Legacy of Bob & Alf Taylor ~ Ranger Corbin Hayslett (Sycamore
Shoals Visitor Center)
1:00 until 4:00 – Early 19th Century Card Games (Sycamore Shoals Visitor Center)
Sunday, October 14th
1:00 & 3:00 – Sabine Hill Guided Tours (by reservation only)
Admission Adults – $7.00; Ages 7 to 17- $5.00; Ages 6 and under- Free
1:30 until 4:00 – Early 19th Century Fellowship Dancing (Sycamore Shoals Visitor Center)
Sycamore Shoals State Historic Park
1651 W. Elk Avenue
Elizabethton, TN 37643
423-543-5808
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