Friday, December 21, 2012

What We Know About The Cabin

What We Know


1. About Vann’s Valley and Cave Spring
Floyd County and this valley were settled by Eastern Indian tribes, mostly Creek
and Cherokee, in the mid-1700s. Major Ridge (builder and owner of what is now
the Chieftains Museum site) was born around 1771. (Cherokee Tragedy,
Wilkins.) Ridge served early with James Vann, uncle of David Vann, as a member
of the Cherokee Council.
Vann’s Valley is named for Avery Vann,1 a Scottish trader who married a fullblooded
Cherokee woman. Avery’s stepbrother was James Vann, a powerful
Cherokee chief known for his fierce temper. Avery Vann’s son, David Vann, was
born in Vann’s Valley in 1800.
David Vann’s home is thought to be on Alabama Street within a mile from the
cabin site. Anecdotal history points to other David Vann property sites in Cave
Spring as well.
2. Location of the Cabin
Cedartown Street and Broad Street, where the cabin sits, were main roads of
commerce in the late 1700s/early 1800s just as they are today.
3. Construction of the Cabin
Hand-hewn: The cabin is constructed of hand-hewn (or possibly hand-split) logs.
They may have been finished with an adz (a cutting tool whose thin arching
blade is perpendicular to the handle and is used for the rough shaping of wood)
or a broad ax.
1 Link from the TOTA website.
• Chinking: The word “chinking” applies to a process of covering the spaces
between logs. The pieces of wood now wedged between the logs were
possibly scrap left over from the roofing of the cabin. These pieces were
covered with a mixture of creek mud, fire ash, and other materials during
the winter. During the summer, the materials could have been removed
for “air conditioning.”
Architectural details also provide historical significance. The windows on the
right side are 6 over 9 style. (6 panes of glass over 9 panes of glass). This style
dates from the late 1700s to the early 1800s according to several sources.
(Field Guide to American Houses; Virginia and Lee McAlester; Knopf).
Known History of the Building
1830s
Armistead Richardson removed to Vann’s Valley and began preparations for the
establishment of Cave Spring in 1831.2 By 1839, Richardson’s land holdings
included thousands of acres in and around Cave Spring.3
1836
The Baptist Church was constituted led by Armistead Richardson. By 1839, the
members form a school for the area named “The Baptist Manual Labor School”
with 200 acres of land purchased for the school and buildings. Part of the land
was cultivated by the pupils of the school under the supervision of the principal;
part of it was laid in lots and sold and later incorporated as the town of Cave
Spring.4
1845
2 Battey’s History of Rome and Floyd County, page 36
3 A history of the Simmons Plantation (Ina Black’s House/Cherokee Sub Chief
David Vann’s home) by Kristi Reed
http://home.earthlink.et/`kristireed/index_files/Page2552
4 James Coffee Harris: Cave Spring and Vans Valley
The Baptist Manual Labor School was renamed the Hearn Manual Labor School in
honor of Lott O. Hearn. Mr. Hearn bequeathed a sizable amount of money to the
school upon his death. In 1903 the Baptist Manual Labor School was given to
the Educational Board of the Georgia Baptist Convention. It was reorganized as
a preparatory school for college under the name of Hearn Academy. 4
1847
Mr. William Posey acquired Lot # 6 from The Hearn Trustees.
1853-1854:
William K. Posey then sold Lot #6 to Joel Dean, Thomas Craven, and Walter R.
Webster between 1853 and 1854. In 1854 the property became known as the
Webster Hotel.
1865
Between 1854 and 1865, Samuel Gibbons obtained Lot #6 and parts of Lot # 9
and Lot #8. Samuel Gibbons sold the property to Joseph Ford, a local cotton
baron who built Colonial Heights plantation. Joseph Ford died September 1872,
as a result of a train accident, while he was living in the residence currently
known as the Forbes House (next door to the Webster Hotel). Mrs. M. E. F.
Sheldon bought the property known as the Webster Hotel at public auction for
$1305.00.
1883
Mrs. Sheldon sold the same property to B. F. Strickland on December 8, 1883,
for $1500.00
1906
The Green Hotel was renovated under the management of Mr. W.D. McCollum,
formally of Newnan, Georgia.
1908
A. W. Findley bought the Hotel property at public sale for $1500.00. The
property included stable and a storehouse at that time.
1940s-50s
To the best of our records, the Green Hotel was divided into four apartments at
this time. Mr. and Mrs. Rogers Asbury lived in the left downstairs apartment for
many years. Mr. and Mrs. Fred Lyons, their sons and daughter, lived in the right
side.
In the late 1940’s, Dr. Harvey Norton, Jr., converted the left apartments into a
medical clinic and enclosed half of the front porch for his office.
1985
Mr. Bobby George bought the property and named it Appletree Nursery and
Antiques. He and his son owned the property for 25 years.
2008
The George Family sold the property to Mr. William Benefield of Cave Spring and
Cedartown.
2010
While the Cave Spring Historical Society began efforts to save the property in
November of 2009, serious efforts began in March of 2010.

Monday, December 17, 2012

Monday, December 10, 2012

Tuesday, December 4, 2012

ARCHEOLOGICAL DIG BY PROFESSIONAL SET FOR CHEROKEE CABIN


CAVE SPRING HISTORICAL SOCIETY
 
NEWS RELEASE 12/4/12
 
 
 
 
 
ARCHEOLOGICAL DIG BY PROFESSIONAL SET FOR CHEROKEE CABIN

PLEDGE DRIVE LAUNCHED TO FUND DIG,   COMMUNITY VOLUNTEERS TO HELP

CAVE SPRING  --  The Cave Spring Historical Society has hired professional archaeologist Pat Garrow, assisted by Travis W. Hurdle, to escavate several 1X1 meter test sites on the Cheokee Cabin property. A pledge drive to fund the dig has been launched.
 
   Garrow has had experience with several archaelogical digs at the Chieftains in Rome. Hurdle is with the Knoxville, Tenn. office of Cultural Resource Analysts, Inc., which is the contractor for the work. The project will follow standards of the State Secretary of Interior's Guidelines for Archaeological & Historic Preservation. The dig is scheduled for December 17 thru 21st. Demonstrations to the viewing public will be offered during the dig. 
 
    Community volunteers to help with the excavation may schedule work through the Cave Spring Historcial Society. (President is Peggy Algood at (706) 777-8789). The Field Director, Pat Garrow, will direct and instruct the volunteers' work.
 
    The historical society has launched a Pledge Drive to fund the cost of the professional excavation. Persons wishing to donate to this special purpose fund may write to: Cave Spring Historical Society, PO Box 715, Cave Spring, GA 30124. The historical society must raise $6,400 in the next 30 days.
 
   The archaeologcal dig will be by hand excavation and Garrow expects his findings to help determine the historical facts of the Cherokeee Cabin. This would provide a historical context, as would additional documentation that is being assembled this month to make the Cabin recognized by the state as a "historical place".
 
    
   
                                    Contact: Peggy Algood at (706) 237-1334/ or B.W. Abernathy at (706) 777-9447

Monday, December 3, 2012

Archaeological Dig at The Cabin

CAVE SPRING LOG CABIN TO BE SITE OF  ARCHEOLOGICAL EXCAVATION 

STAY TUNED FOR DETAILS ON SIGNING UP FOR ASSISTING WITH THE DIG  
     CRA  Cultural Research Analysts, Inc under the direction of
Archeologist  Pat Garrow, who has done three digs at Chieftains in Rome, will be in charge of the process.
     The dig will be from December 17-21, and will be open for volunteers
who will be under Mr. Garrow's supervision in this important exploration.
Sign up details coming very soon!  Come join the process.