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Sesquicentennial celebration
Bears Jackson County Commission Chairman Jay Denton, right, congratulates chainsaw carver Fred Bauknecht, who created a sculpture to mark the county's 150th birthday. Sesquicentennial Chairman Jeff Carpenter, left, headed the committee that planned Saturday's downtown festival and other sesquicentennial events. - Herald photos by Lynn Hotaling Hundreds turned out Friday, Saturday and Sunday to celebrate Jackson County's 150th birthday at events in Webster and Sylva.

Friday night's program in Webster featured walking tours of Jackson's original county seat, and Sunday's music program at Sylva Presbyterian Church highlighted the music of popular 19th-century composer Stephen Foster.

Saturday's downtown celebration got under way early as Tuckasegee Wesleyan Church started their traditional apple butter at daylight. After cooking all day in a huge copper pot, the apple butter was ready about 3 p.m. The group canned some 180 pints, which were quickly sold to the waiting crowd. Another early event was a chainsaw competition that attracted local wood-cutters to Mark Watson Park.

Music filled the air all day. Spirit-Filled from Tuckasegee Wesleyan started early and was followed by Wayehutta's Fiddling Dills Sisters, the Donnie Clay Band of Franklin, Smoky Mountain Dulcimers, Susie Beckwith of Sylva, Senior Games winners Steve and Mary Ann Lengyel of Whittier, the Queen Family of Johns Creek, Chuck Norris and the Willing Servants of Sylva and Steve Weams and the Caribbean Cowboys.

During a noon ceremony, Howard Allman presented several dramatic readings, Jackson County Commission Chairman Jay Denton made a speech, Sesquicentennial Committee Chairman Jeff Carpenter recognized student elected officials and the festival's honorary queen, Mary Jane Queen of Caney Fork. Carpenter also spotlighted chainsaw sculptor Fred Bauknecht, who created the official sesquicentennial carving of a family of bears.

A parade down Main Street featured politicians, local dignitaries, fire trucks and ladies in period dress. Near the front were the "Sisters of the Swish," who modeled the 19th-century fashions they had worn during a morning fashion show at First Baptist Church. County commissioners were grand marshals.

Sylva Partner's in Renewal's barbecue capped off Saturday's events.

Weekend activities concluded Jackson County's monthlong Sesquicentennial Celebration, which began Sept. 29. A time capsule is scheduled to be buried Thursday, Nov. 1, during a noon ceremony at the Jackson County Courthouse.

Jackson was formed in 1851 from portions of Haywood and Macon counties. The county is named for Andrew Jackson, a Democrat war hero who won an important victory over the British at New Orleans in 1815 and was twice elected president of the United States. Webster, the first county seat, was named for Daniel Webster, a prominent Whig orator and statesman who died a year before the 1853 formation of Jackson County's government. Webster served as the county's hub until 1913 when citizens voted to move their seat of government to Sylva.

Bears

Back to Archive: 10/25/01.