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Vintage Centennial film, music to highlight Sesquicentennial

By Lynn Hotaling and Rose Hooper
Carver Sylva chain saw carver Fred Bauknecht has donated this black bear holding a "God Bless America" sign to the American Red Cross. Proceeds from a raffle for the carving will go to the agency's Sept. 11 Disaster Relief Fund. Tickets will be available beginning this Saturday, Oct. 13, on Railroad Avenue, where Bauknecht will be carving an entire family of bears through Saturday, Sept. 20. The Jackson County Sesquicentennial Carving will feature mother and father bears along with two cubs, said Bauknecht, who was chosen for the project by Sesquicentennial Committee Chairman Jeff Carpenter after seeing an eagle he created for Fairview School this spring. - Herald photo by Lisa Majors-Duff It was like discovering an old vintage movie hidden in a vault for years, said Jeff Carpenter, director of Jackson County Parks and Recreation.

A special Sesquicentennial treat - one that only a few knew about until this week, will surprise and delight Jackson County residents. "I'm sure of it," said Carpenter, who urged entire families to make plans to see this film.

Shot by a professional film company in 1951, the film documents Jackson County's Centennial Celebration. The 25-minute historical feature will be shown twice on two Tuesdays, Oct. 16 and Oct. 23, at 7 and 7:30 p.m. at Sylva's Golden Age Center.

"It's like a moment in time - and you are there," said Carpenter. "In addition to the Centennial Celebration, the film highlights downtown businesses and those in Cherokee, too, and the high school football team. You might be able to pick out your old Uncle Albert."

As well as nostalgia, music will fill the air during the third week of Jackson County's sesquicentennial celebration with a Saturday showcase of young talent in Sylva and a Sunday afternoon instrumental concert at the new pavilion in Cullowhee.

Youth performances will be from 4 to 6 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 13, in downtown Sylva and will feature mostly local talent, including 14-year-old Josh Bulla of Whittier, who plays bagpipes, violin, harp and Irish pipes.

A number of Cullowhee Valley students - Swan Brooner, Erika Buchanan, Britney Acosta, Anna McAbee, Laci Wike, Ethan Fortner, Jarrod Couch, Allie Shurina and Madilyn Wike - will perform, as will the Cullowhee Valley Cloggers, said Diana Fisher, school music teacher.

HorseParade Crowds gathered in downtown Sylva Sunday (Oct. 7) to watch some 70 horsemen and women parade on Main Street in honor of the county's Sesquicentennial Celebration. Jay Denton, center, chairman of the Jackson County Board of Commissioners, served as grand marshal of the parade, along with the county's other commissioners - Roberta Crawford, Stacy Buchanan, Conrad Burrell and Franz Whitmire. Riding with Denton were his sister, Jana Fulton, left, and Maurice Moody, (far right) who organized Sunday's event. - Herald photo by Lisa Majors-Duff Rounding out the event will be performances by two area musicians who specialize in Irish music, Zac Leger, 18, of Elizabethton, Tenn., and Duncan Wickel, 12, of Asheville.

"Melodies in the Park" at 3 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 14, will feature the Sesquicentennial Brass Quintet, which includes several Western Carolina University music faculty members and the Highlands Pipes and Drums.

The quintet - Bradley Ulrich, David Ginn, Alan Mattingly, Robert Kehrberg and Bob Buckner - perform together periodically under a variety of names, said Ulrich. They plan to perform mostly what he calls "park music," including jazz, ragtime, marches and light classical.

"I hope people will bring picnic baskets, chairs or blankets and enjoy the music while the kids play," Ulrich said.

Highlands Pipes and Drums is an award-winning band led by Michael Waters of Cullowhee, also a member of the WCU music faculty. The group's purposes are to preserve the art of playing the bagpipe and drum and to encourage interest in Celtic music.

Jackson County's celebration of its 150th birthday will continue through the weekend of Oct. 19-21, when events are planned in Webster and Sylva.

"A Day in Webster, Jackson County's Hometown" is the title of the second main event to be held at the Family Resource Center (old Webster School) Friday, Oct. 19, and will feature walking tours at 4 p.m., dinner and traditional music at 6 p.m., followed at 7 p.m. by a program with Asheville Citizen-Times columnist and Addie native Bob Terrell.

The culminating event will be the all-day Oct. 20 downtown festival, which will include the 4 p.m. Sesquicentennial Parade. Local churches, schools, businesses, Scout troops and others are encouraged to assemble floats and participate. County commissioners will again serve as grand marshals, and commercial floats will not be included. Vintage cars and trucks (1969 and older) are welcome. Those wishing to join the parade may call Betty Foxx at 586-2512 or 586-6777 for information or to register.

An eclectic lineup aimed at pleasing all ages and musical tastes will provide the sound track for the festival. Performers scheduled include the Donnie Cray Band, the Fiddling Dills Sisters of Cullowhee, the Willing Servants of Sylva, the Queen Family of Caney Fork, Susie Beckwith of Sylva and the Smoky Mountain Dulcimer Club.

Taking the stage at 6 p.m will be Steve Weams and the Caribbean Cowboys, a popular regional group that plays a wide variety of music, who will perform during and after Sylva Partners in Renewal's traditional pig roast, which will begin at 5 p.m.

Other activities Oct. 20 will include the presentation of an official county flag and checkers and other "old-timey" games and contests. The day will also feature music, food and craft vendors.

Sylva First Presbyterian Church will present the final sesquicentennial event - a program of Stephen Foster songs - Sunday, Oct. 21, at 4 p.m. Carol Lynn and Balfour Knight will perform along with guest musicians. Foster is remembered for tunes such as "Camptown Races," "Oh, Susannah," "Old Folks at Home," "My Old Kentucky Home" and "Jeannie With the Light Brown Hair."

Performing, along with Lynn and Knight, will be Patti Sparling Dennis, Jeni Johnstone, Bryan McManus, J.D. McRorie and the church choir.

"The History of Jackson County: Sesquicentennial Edition" will be available Oct. 20, editor Max Williams said.

"It's at the bindery in Maryland now," Williams reported last week. This special edition is dedicated to the people of Jackson County by the Kate Rhinehart family.

For information about all sesquicentennial events, call the Jackson County Recreation and Parks Department at 586-6333.

Back to Archive: 10/11/01.